


Duties

by simsadventures



Series: Duties [1]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alpha Thor (Marvel), Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Alternative Universe - Kingdom, Angst, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Knotting, Marking, Omega Verse, Scenting, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-31
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:07:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 28,669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24476242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/simsadventures/pseuds/simsadventures
Summary: Thor is a young Alpha king who needs to find his Omega, and provide and heir as soon as possible, for the other kingdoms to not get any ideas about war. You seem to be a mere help in the kitchen, but Thor does not care for that. He is mesmerised by your scent. Will Thor woo you because he is a king, or will he have to show you more of himself for you to fall for him? And what happens when your true identity is revealed?
Relationships: Chris Hemsworth/Thor/Reader, Loki/Sif (Marvel), Thor/Reader
Series: Duties [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1767904
Comments: 4
Kudos: 101





	1. The Naughty Prince

The sound of laughter could be heard from Thor’s room. Loki, his brother, stood listening behind the closed door, trying to determine how many were in his brother’s room this time. So far he could count 3 women and Thor, although he could not be too sure about the number of women. Loki remembered all too clearly the last time he had to fetch his brother he thought it was only Thor and one woman, but when he entered his chambers, there were actually 4 beautiful girls laying spread on the furs, Thor in the middle of them. 

Loki sighed heavily and knocked loudly, but no response came from behind the doors. He braced himself and knocked again, this time with more power so that his brother could hear him from the maze of laughter and whispers coming from the chambers. Still nothing. Loki regretted the day he was born, and with that thought, he opened the door. The sight in front of him disgusted him, and he was sure he would never get the image out of his brain. 

His brother, the mighty Thor, the person who was likened to the God of Thunder, for his famous battles won with his worthy hammer, was now surrounded by tangled limbs of multiple women. Thor was on his back, and his body was sticky with some liquid- Loki presumed it was honey, and the women (Loki counted 5, that was a record) were sucking on his skin and laughing and giggling. Loki almost gagged at sight and turned around swiftly, wanting to do nothing more than to run away and never to return. But he had to deliver his father’s message, just like always. 

“Loki, brother! I am delighted to see you! Have you come to join us this beautiful evening?” Thor was smirking, the Omegas around him still latched onto his skin.   
“Firstly, it is already morning, my dearest brother. And secondly, I would rather cut off my own hand than to join you in bed. Anyway, I came here for our father sent me. He wishes to speak with you.”

“Ha! And he sent you to tell me? Don’t we have thralls anymore? Or guards? Does he have to send the prince to tell me that he would like to have a heart-to-heart with me? This is getting ridiculous, seriously.”   
Loki rolled his eyes but refrained from comments. He knew it would be useless to say anything to his obviously drunk brother. Loki did not give his brother another look and walked out of his chambers. He was not too sure if Thor would follow, but Loki was sure of one thing. He was not returning to his rooms. Hopefully, ever again.   
—-

It took another three hours for Thor to finally appear in front of his father’s office. He knew Odin would be there, he always was. He would think of all the great battle plans there, and when necessary, he would even hide there from the wrath of his wife, Queen Frigga. Odin loved his wife, but there were certain moments in marriage when he knew it would be better if he cleared away from her sight for some hours. 

Thor had a smug smirk splayed on his handsome face as he knocked on his father’s private chambers. When he heard the silent “enter”, he threw open the door and waltzed in. Odin was sitting on his mahogany chair, facing away from Thor, scribbling something down. 

“You wanted to see me, father?” Thor asked as he sat down on the nearest chair. But Odin did not answer. He kept to himself, which only made the ever impatient Alpha grunt.   
“I think I shall come later, you are too busy, oh mighty Odin,” Thor said, picking on his nails, kicking his boots on his father’s desk. If only Thor cared a little more about his surroundings, he would feel that the atmosphere was growing thicker by the second. Odin, Alpha himself, might have been old, but he was still the king of his kingdom, and nobody, not even his son, would disrespect him. 

The low growl that left Odin’s throat, however, did nothing to Thor, who still acted oblivious. It was when he dared to kick off the dirt from his boots on his father’s papers that Odin lost it. He abruptly stood up and grabbed the collar of Thor’s linen shirt in his fist, bringing Thor to his level. Odin’s eyes were glowing angrily, and for the first time in a long time, he did not have any funny comebacks to offer. 

“Who do you think you are? Last time I checked, I am still the king of Asgard, and you’re still nothing more than a prince. How dare you disrespect me so? How dare you disrespect your whole family so?”

Thor wanted to roll his eyes at his father’s overdramatic behaviour, but he felt that it would not end well for him. “Does our family care for a little dirt on your table, father?”   
Smack. The slap Odin delivered on his son’s cheek could be probably heard even outside of the chambers. “Quit speaking, you brat! What I mean is your constant orgies, or what should I call your encounters with multiple Betas and Omegas. The whole country knows of your activities, and it keeps putting a bad light on the whole family and the whole kingdom. It needs to stop immediately.”

“Father, you cannot be serious, I-“

“SILENCE! I have had enough of your constant replies. You’re the heir to the thrown, and still, you act as a farmer’s son. You have duties, Thor, which you obviously still do not realise, but they are here, lurking, and you can no longer ignore them. I solely wished to punish you by sending you to negotiation with Midgard, but that would be insufficient. If you wish to be the king, you will have to find a suitable Omega and marry her. Otherwise, I still have the power to pass the thrown to you brother, who, might I assure you, looks and acts more like a king than you ever have!” 

This was an unexpected turn of events. Thor believed his father only wished to pester him for his behaviour, a thing he did quite often lately, but this seemed to be much more serious. And the image of marriage scared Thor more than any battlefield he ever had to fight on. 

“But father, I thought you insisted on us finding our true mates? And I’m doing so by eliminating women from our kingdom. And I do it thoroughly,” Thor said with a smirk, remembering all the times he laid with women from his country, enjoying all they had to offer.   
“Oh, I’m aware of your thoroughness, do not worry about that. My order stands, do not argue with me. You can go around the country, hell, I will speak to all our neighbouring kingdoms to ensure you could travel through them and maybe your mate resides somewhere behind our borders. I do not care. But true mate or not, you have 3 months to come back with the future queen on your arm. Do you understand?” 

And Thor could do nothing more than to nod and walk out of the chambers with his head hanging between his shoulders. This had to be the worst day of his whole existence. He was sure of it.   
—-

Thor was sitting in his chambers, thinking of his life’s decisions. He was suddenly very aware of every time his father called him to remind him of his duties, but he never (well, until now) took him seriously. He always felt like he was his father’s favourite and, therefore, could get away with much more than his brother. And it seemed to have been the case for a long time. 

When the two brothers used to play, breaking something in the process, it was always Loki was punished more. And for the longest time, Loki was pulling tricks on everyone around him, trying to get at least some attention of his father. But that changed when he met his true mate, an Omega called Sif. She was a fierce worrier, despite her presentation and the moment Loki saw her, he was smitten. It took his lady a little longer, but now, after 2 years of being mated, they were inseparable. 

They still did not produce any offsprings, enjoying their alone time, as they used to say. Thor would not admit this to anyone, especially not his brother, but he was sometimes jealous of what Loki found in Sif. Their love blossomed, they could count on each other, both in life and on the battlefield, and Thor had to admit that were they to become the King and the Queen, Asgard would thrive. 

Thor sighed heavily and looked out of the window. He could see multiple Omegas in the gardens, and he recognised them as the women who were caught in his chambers earlier that morning. They were all looking his way, and they waved at him, smiling. But Thor could not reciprocate their smiles. His heart suddenly too heavy. 

Growing up, he always thought he’d be the good son, the one his father could be proud of. But lately, he lost his way, and he was not sure whether, or how to turn his act around. He knew that he would have to do so, eventually, but the idea of marriage set a weird dread in his bones. He has slept with so many women during the last few months that he could not imagine being faithful to just one. And maybe if he didn’t marry his true mate, binding him to her, he wouldn’t have to be faithful. 

An idea sparked in his mind, but as fast as it got there, Thor knew he should get rid of it. He thought of marrying the first girl that would stumble his way, letting go of the idea of true mates, the forever love, and all of that. But something deep inside him made him uneasy. He did not know where his mate was, or even if his mate existed, but the idea of some Omega, waiting for him to claim her and the disappointment coursing her veins when she would realise that he already claimed somebody else made him let go of this dream. 

He would have to do as his father said, even if he hated the very thought of it with his whole being.


	2. New Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor has to go and find an Omega for himself, according to his father. None of the available princesses from the neighbouring kingdoms, however, smell good enough for him. But what if Thor catches a heavenly scent, just outside the castle?

The morning was filled with people running around the castle, trying to get everything ready for Thor’s travels. Thor didn’t really want to take too many things or counsellors with him because he knew that it was all about the smell, and nobody else but him could decide that. He did have to take someone with him, and despite his father’s light protest, he decided to take his friends: Volstagg, Fandral, and Hogun.

Odin wished for Thor to take Loki with him because there would be at least one son with some manners. The Allfather hoped to keep the good relations between the kingdom, and knowing Thor and his manners, there were some reserves when it came to letting him go alone. But Thor’s mother vouched for him, and who was Odin to say no to his wife?  
Thor insisted on riding horseback, even if it was proper for the heir to the throne to come in a carriage. But Thor only rolled his eyes at the golden carriage and let the thralls put it from his sight. He was the future king of Asgard, not some lady in need. He was a man, an Alpha, and he wouldn’t be caught dead in such monstrosity. His friends agreed with him heartily, and so there was nothing left to do for the thralls than to listen to the prince and get the carriage out of his sight.

When Thor mounted the horse, his father came briskly to his side and caught the reins of his horse.

“I know you believe ’tis but a stupid tradition, but, son, a future king needs his queen, and I hope you will find it in your heart to choose the right one not only for yourself but also for this kingdom.”

Thor frowned slightly. “Do you want me to choose only by my head, father? Do you not wish that I fall in love and am happy with my chosen wife?”   
Odin chuckled and let the reins fall out of his hands.

“One day you’ll understand, dear son, that not everything is about you. I hope you make a great alliance by choosing one of the princesses,” he said with a serious look on his face and stepped back to let the horses trod out of the gates.

Thor only bowed to him, his father’s words still playing in his brain. He wasn’t stupid, he knew that it would be for the best if he could choose one of the Omegas from neighbouring kingdoms, but he also wasn’t one to choose just like that. He had his share of pretty faces, but if he was supposed to mate for life, the girl would have to be something else. She would have to be almost a goddess for Thor to make such commitment.

With such thought in mind, Thor bid his horse forward, his friends and a couple of helpers following close behind.   
Odin and Frigg were watching it from the main gate, both with different expressions. While Thor’s mother was shedding tears of happiness, that her first-born was finally becoming what he was always supposed to, and she was joyous about all the possibilities love had for Thor, his father’s expression was quite different. More brooding, and less cheerful, fearing the stupidities his son might do in the neighbouring kingdoms.

The first kingdom to visit was Bennegard. Its land was vastly different from that in Asgard, because while most of Asgard were hills and sea, Bennegard had no access to the salty water, and had not one hill. Thor and Loki used to make fun of the country in their classes, where they had to learn about all the kingdoms, past and new one. They would always say that Bennegard was the dullest of places, its people looking like mouses, their land without the joys nature can provide. Bennegard was almost entirely of rocks and rocky planes, one of the few things that actually grew there was a thistle, which to Thor and Loki said a lot.

It took Thor and his company two whole days to travel to the land, and by the time they neared the castle, they wanted to turn and come back to Asgard, which played with colours and odours. Bennegard was just as dull as Thor imagined it, but there was still hope in his heart, that he might find what his father wanted him there, and his hunt would be over.   
But when they finally arrived at the local court, Thor realised that he would rather marry one of the thistles than to have anything to do with any of the Omega princesses there.   
Thor suffered through every conversation, but he knew better than to let people around him know about his state of mind. He was all smiles and politeness, but inside, he was bored to death.

The oldest daughter of king Jostly was almost as big as Thor, and at first, Thor nearly jumped out of his skin in fear of her. He’s never seen a woman as huge as her, and he’s seen a lot of women in his life, he thought.

“My prince, may I introduce you to my daughter and my heir, princess Johanna? She has just turned 27 years of age, and she is more than ready to take an Alpha, and unite our kingdom,” king Jostly said, in what he probably thought was a cheerful tone, but Thor had to fight himself in staying awake whilst he spoke.

Thor smiled politely at the princess and remembering his father’s words, asked her to dance with him. She snorted, and Thor assumed that was her laugh and it made him roll his eyes even harder. Thor scented Johanna discreetly, trying to see if there was at least something he could be attracted to in her. But no. She just smelled like burned lava stones and tobacco, and that was not something Thor looked for in his mate.

They danced and talked, but Thor could not keep his mind in the conversation. It was when she started listing the types of rocks that could be found around the castle, and she was already at the 18th different type, that Thor excused himself with a smile, and went to find the closest barrel with mead.

The rest of the night went very similarly, and by midnight, Thor was comfortably in one of the guest rooms, snoring happily. He told his company all about the dullness of the place, and how he couldn’t wait to be up and gone and truly praise.

In the morning, he gave his apologies to king Jostly, trying to explain to him that he did not find what he was looking for, only for king Jostly to stop him mid-sentence.   
“Do not apologise, my prince! Last night, while you apologised to go to your chambers, my daughter caught the scent of a foreign Alpha from your company, and while I hoped for, let’s say, better connection, considering her age and all, I think I must be happy with what we’ve got.”

Thor raised an eyebrow and wanted to ask more questions, but then the door to the ballroom opened and revealed princess Johanna, and to Thor’s utter surprise, Volstagg, who was smiling like a fool.

“Thor, my friend! Look! I found a suitable Omega for myself! What do you reckon?”   
Thor couldn’t even form a suitable response, from all the shock coursing through his veins. He just nodded and tried to form a smile on his face, but he wasn’t sure if it actually made way to his face.

“I am happy for you, my friend! Do you wish to stay here, with your chosen Omega, Vorstagg?”

“If I may, that would be more than wonderful, my prince,” Vorstagg said, not even looking at Thor, but having his nose buried in his Omega’s neck.   
Thor shuddered at the sight, knowing full well that he wouldn’t be able to stand that close to that woman. But he was truly happy for Vorstagg. He was also one of the highest-ranked councilmen in Asgard, so Thor knew this only strengthened the relations between the two lands, and he hoped it would be suitable for his father.

They bid their goodbyes, and Thor and the remaining of his company set to travel to the second kingdom on their plan. Dysgard. Thor was actually looking forward to this visit. He’s always admired Dysgard’s jewels, which was the thing exported most from this land. The hills were even mightier than in Asgard, and the plains were slightly more hostile than those in Thor’s own country.

He always heard the people of Dysgard be just like their land, little proud and unwelcoming, keeping to themselves. Thor wanted to see if it was real or if his father exaggerated like he always did.

Upon their arrival, unlike in Bennegard, no great party awaited them. They were shown into a small crown room, with guards and the king himself. King Zeinard was a stout man with a pointy nose, which looked awfully funny on his round face.

“Crown prince Thor, I hear you want to have a look at the Omegas of this court, and intend to marry some?” King’s voice boomed through the room.   
“Yes, your Majesty. I’m looking for a wife, and me and my father, King Odin, thought it would be good to start with our strongest allies. Would that be ok with you, my king?” Thor said, trying not to sound too bitter, and judging by king Zeinard’s face, Thor succeeded, for the king nodded at somebody behind Thor, and that person opened a door behind Thor.   
From this door, 5 young Omegas emerged, their heads hung low, looking at the ground.

“Here are two of my daughters, and three daughters of my highest councilmen. Please, take your time in scenting them, and if you like one, you can have her. If not, I would be glad if you could continue on your journey,” Zeinard said in all seriousness, and Thor was in fact glad.   
If he didn’t find what he was looking for here, he could get moving without the annoying pleasantries.   
So he just curtly nodded at the king and walked towards the women.

He smelled each of them carefully, taking his time to see if he could like any of the scents, but he found himself more than indifferent to all of them.   
Thor looked over to the king and smiled sadly.

“I am afraid, my king, that I did not find what I came for here.”   
“That is quite alright, my prince. I wish you luck on your journey,” the king said and turned his back on Thor, and slowly rolled out of the hall.   
Thor just looked at his friends and rolled his eyes, which made laugh silently, before they all decided to follow the king’s advice and continue on their journey.

The last kingdom they were meant to visit was only a few hours away, and Thor thought it would be great if the could reach it before the night set on the land. He sent a pigeon to Midgard, letting their king know that they were coming a day early, hoping the king would not think they were disrespectful. The last thing Thor needed was for one of the kings sending a message to his father that he didn’t behave properly.   
The journey was filled with friendly banter, mostly targeted on the missing Vorstagg and his new bride, but all was in good humour. They were all happy for their friend if only little surprise on his choice.

Before they knew it, they were standing in front of Midgard’s castle’s gates. Thor was internally most excited about Midgard. He has been there many times before, so he knew that the country was pregnant with beauty, both in its population and its nature. He even knew the king, Anthony, with whom Thor fought many of his battles in his youth. Thor knew king Anthony had only one daughter, but rarely ever showed her. All Thor knew was that she was a lot younger than him.   
“Thor! Dead friend! I and the queen, we are ecstatic that you could come so soon! Gives us time to talk properly!” Thor heard from somewhere above him, and he looked up, seeing Anthony standing on a balcony right above his head, waving at him.

“Tony! So am I, trust me! May I come up, so that I can refresh slightly before I meet you? I stink like a horse,” Thor hollered, and Tony just smiled and nodded at him.   
When all was done, Thor could hear music coming from the big hall, and he smiled, excited to actually enjoy himself, if he didn’t choose one of Tony’s daughters as his Omega, that was.

The hall was littered with people, the whole room shining with light up candles, and expensive decorations were hung around the ceiling to create the allusion of an open roof. Thor always admired Tony’s festivities, and he wasn’t the only one. It was known in all lands that king Anthony’s parties were to look forward to.   
“Feeling like yourself again, old friend?” Tony asked with a smile, and Thor instinctively hugged him, just like he did with Loki.

“Yes! Especially because I’m here, in Midgard. You wouldn’t believe how I longed to be here the whole journey, both Bennegard and Dysgard were awfully boring!”   
Tony barked out a laugh and patted Thor’s shoulder.

“Oh, I know! Imagine what you will have to undergo in every ally meeting we have!” Tony laughed again, seeing Thor’s slightly horrified face.   
“Let’s get the issue off the table quickly, so we can have more fun! Here is my daughter, Morgan. Morgan, my dearest, this is prince Thor,” Tony said and Morgan, who now stood in front of Thor, curtsied slightly. Thor bowed politely and took her hand in his kissing it.

Thor could see she was still just a child, only just presenting and still unsure of what her presentation meant in the world.   
She smelled nice, Thor had to admit that, but it wasn’t anything he couldn’t do without.

Tony was watching the whole encounter, keeping an eye on Thor’s reaction and praying to, however, was listening that he wouldn’t find his daughter too appealing. Not that Tony didn’t like Thor, but Morgan was still his only child, and he was not ready to let her go just yet. He had to smile because Thor’s pupils didn’t dilate, nor did he look like a lighting stroke him when he smelled her, so Tony took it as a good sign.

“I’m afraid, you are not my mate, princess Morgan, although your beauty is remarkable,” Thor smiled at the young princess who curtsied again and almost ran away from there, back to her mother’s open arms.

“She’s still a pup, you know? I have to tell you, I’m glad you’re not mates. I would hate to fight you were you to hurt my daughter, which is a fate awaiting her mate patiently.”   
Thor laughed at his friend, and let the whole mate thing stride out of his mind. He didn’t find anyone, and he knew he had reasoning for his father. So he just let go, and had fun, drank mead, and ate what was served.

It was when he wanted to get another bread that he caught a scent of something sweet. He smelled the bread, and he could tell that the scent was lingering on it. He supposed that the lovely smelling Omega touched the bread before him, and that was why he could still smell it, as faint as it was.   
Thor got up from the table and roamed the room, trying to catch the scent that was making him drunk again but without luck. He hung his head between his shoulders, and for the first time was feeling some sort of emotion about not finding his mate.

He went to the table with bread again, still thinking deeply about how that smell made him feel when he smelled it again.   
The scent was a combination of a spring breeze, a meadow, and what he thought were raspberries, so sweet and intoxicating, Thor wanted to do nothing more than to smell that for the rest of his life.

He swiftly raised his head, only to be met with the most beautiful eyes he’s ever seen. He couldn’t even pinpoint their colour, they were playful and looked just like she smelt. Beautiful.   
This was it, Thor thought. This was his mate, whoever this beautiful stranger was. But before he could say a word to her, she scurried away, down the hall only used by the help in the castle. And Thor was dead-set on following her.


	3. Princess or Not

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You go about your day as usual in the castle, when a stranger’s scent hits your nose and encompasses all your senses. However, you have always been taught not to give in too easily. And that’s what you’re about to do. Probably.

Your steps were light and cheery. Today was the day of a feast for the King’s friend, a prince from Asgard, of whom you heard plenty. You were the help in the kitchen for quite some time now, and you couldn’t be happier with your newly assigned job. In your previous life, you didn’t have any freedom of choice, everything was lined up, and not in a good way.   
But now, you were free and definitely joyous about it. You might not have had the luxury in your life anymore, but that didn’t matter to you none. You were simply happy for the second chance in life you have been given, and you were going to use it as much as you liked.

In the kitchens, everything had its place, and while usually life down there would be pretty calm and simple, today was narrating a different story. Everyone was running around, bumping into each other and having the bowls full of food fall to the ground, shattering in the process. The apprentices had to then run and try to clean it up before another person fell down because of the mess on the ground.

You navigated your way through the people, trying to stay clear of their paths while still maintaining a high tempo. You had to, after all, help bake all the bread and rolls for the entire festivities, and, that was a whole lot of baked goods if you said so yourself.  
You began your work, kneading the pastry, working it till it was smooth and pliable in your hands so you could make different sized rolls out of it. You liked doing the regular, plain bread because it was simple and quick.

However, what you liked doing the most were the cookies, and different kinds of sweet pastry, in which you could actually show your baking genius. You would add things bakers before you wouldn’t even think of, such as dried fruits, or different home-made jams, and syrups, so that when you bit into the pasty, it would flow out of it like the most delicious sap from a tree. Princess Morgan especially liked your little doughnuts, filled with molten chocolate and powder sugar on top.

It took you and several other bakers a good few hours to bake everything that was supposed to appear on the feast, but when it was done, it was beautiful. Pastry, bread, rolls, and other baked goods laid everywhere you looked, and it was a look to behold. You even managed to bake a little more than was said, because you knew that whatever didn’t get eaten at the feast, king Anthony would send the food to the village below. You just wanted to make sure there was enough even for them.

It was simply in your nature. You always made sure that people around were happy before you made yourself happy. You used to do it from a young age, and your father always thought it was the most remarkable trait of yours.   
You smiled sadly and shook your head to shake away the dark thoughts spreading through your mind. You didn’t need that today. Today was a celebration, and you were about to enjoy it, even if you were to just look after the food at the party.

The dress you picked for the festivities were simple, just like your every other dress in your wardrobe. They were plain blue, and the colour reminded you of the colour of the sky in spring when everything blooms and the novelty of life can be felt around you. On top of it, a simple embroidery was sawn, and it was that of a cherry tree, your favourite. There were only a few branches on the dress, but you loved it nevertheless.

You checked yourself in the small mirror in your room, and even though you could only see your neckline (that’s how small the mirror actually was), you smiled at yourself. Your skin was paler than it used to, because now you spent most your time in the kitchen, whereas a long time ago, you could actually run around the gardens.   
But it didn’t take the radiance of it. Your cheeks were slightly blushed, and you pinched them some more just to keep that effect. You smiled at yourself one last time before heading towards the main hall, where the party had already started a few hours ago.

The hall was magnificent again. It was really true what most kingdoms said. King Anthony really did throw the best parties, and you were glad you could experience them, even if only as a help in the kitchen.   
You walked between the tables full of food, between the people joyously chatting, and smiled at everyone politely, but not really making any eye contact with anyone. It was a habit you kept for quite some time now, just a precaution.

You checked on the tables with your bread, even took one of the rolls in your hand to check if it was still fresh enough, or if you should go back to the kitchen and bake some more. But everything was perfect, and you let yourself get lost in the rhythm of the music playing from the dance floor, where all the dukes and essential people from the country danced.   
You liked watching them. You, of course, knew all the dance steps they did, but as only the help you couldn’t even come close to the dance floor. Not to the point of dancing, at the very least. You didn’t mind though, you just enjoyed the play of colours in front of you, and you let yourself smile at all those people enjoying their time there.   
There was a nagging feeling in your stomach the whole day, but you couldn’t really decide what it tried to tell you. Your heat shouldn’t come for another few weeks, so it shouldn’t be that. Your stomach shouldn’t be upset because you only ate in your kitchen, and everything there was perfect. You tried to ignore the growing unsettled feeling as long as you could, but as you were watching the people dance, your head felt light, suddenly.

You turned around, telling yourself that it was from watching all that movement that you were suddenly dizzy, and your senses completely ignored the strong masculine smell invading your being.   
It was until you came back to your bread, and looked up, that you caught the eye of the most beautiful man you’ve ever seen. He was tall and muscular, his hair was cut short, his stormy blue eyes standing out this way.   
Then his scent hit you. You could swear your heart took a leap from the adrenaline coursing your veins. He smelled like leather, summer sea, and something spicy, which you couldn’t really put your finger on.

Your body called for him, and that’s when you realised what you were doing. Staring at a complete stranger, ready to be at his mercy.   
You quickly looked back at the ground, and even though it pained you to scurry away from him, you didn’t see any other option for yourself. You almost leapt out of there, heading towards the corridor for help, praying that he wouldn’t follow you where he obviously didn’t belong.   
But when you were halfway through the corridor, and you heard heavy footsteps behind you, you knew the handsome stranger didn’t care one bit for any rules at the moment. He was hunting you down, and although it did send sparks flying to your core, your inner Omega almost yipping with excitement after all those lonely years, you couldn’t afford this Alpha to just take you like that.

You were running now, feeling like you had to escape to save your own life. He might have been a good guy, a good Alpha, for all you knew, but he also could be some brute who would tie you to a bedpost and use you 1000 different ways till your body couldn’t take anymore.   
You’ve heard the stories. And you were keen on not being one of them. Eager to save your life, no matter what.   
You hurriedly took a right turn in the corridor, running towards your own room, finding the idea of your own space pleasing and calming enough not to break down in the middle of your run. You could still hear him somewhere behind you, and you just hoped his muscles were all for show because you couldn’t even imagine what would happen if he broke into your room. Just you and him.

You breezed in your room, shutting the door close behind you, and letting your body weight lean on the door, breathing heavily, feeling your heart beating like crazy. And you weren’t sure if it was beating so because you had to run all the way to your room, or because of this Alpha chasing you, which was both nerve-wracking, and exciting at the same time.

“Omega! I know you’re in there. Open up!” His voice boomed across the corridor in which he was standing and right into your core. The sparks were now a small fire, and you hated the nature for making you an Omega. You felt helpless, and as if you could never really win.

If he left, you knew you would be whining for him and for the overwhelming scent he was emitting, but if he came closer, you would hate yourself for letting him there.   
What you thought was his fist hit the door, and it shook with the power of his punch. You whimpered, and closed your eyes, trying to find what was the right thing to do in your own heart. You tried to imagine your poor father, and what he’d think of you if he knew you let this strange Alpha in your room, just like that.

“Please, don’t hurt me, I beg you, sir,” you whispered, still leaning on the door.   
“Hurt you? I would never hurt you, Omega. Please, just open the door so we can talk. I don’t want you to be afraid of me. I swear, if I do something that makes you feel uncomfortable, I will walk away, just like that. But please, talk to me,” the last words were hushed, and you knew his head was on the door, and you could only imagine the pained expression on his face. The same pain you felt from his strained voice.

You took a deep breath, and nodded at yourself, before unlocking the door, and the letting the tall Alpha in your little chamber.   
You could see the relief on his face, and you had to smile at him. His scent wrapped around you like a blanket again, and you revelled at the feeling of it all. You have never felt like this in the company of a man, and you never even knew you could feel like this. Your mother always told you you would have to marry somebody for the good of it all, and that maybe you would learn to love that person, tolerate his scent.

But despite not knowing the Alpha in front of you, his scent calmed all your senses, and your brain was already playing the images of your wedding, as unlikely as it was.   
He smiled sweetly at you, and when you closed the door behind him once again, he sat on the only chair in your chambers, leaving you to sit on your neatly made bed.   
You played with your hands, your eyes glued to your lap, unable to look up and face the Alpha sitting across the room.

“What is your name, beautiful Omega?” He asked, his gruff voice making your skin tingle.   
“Y/N”, you whispered immediately, still not looking up.   
“Y/N,” he repeated, and for a brief moment, you never wanted anyone to say your name again unless it was him. It sounded so different, leaving his perfect pink lips.

“My name is Thor, and it would be my greatest pleasure if I could get to know you, Y/N,” he said, and this time, you actually looked at him.   
“THOR?! You’re prince Thor of Asgard? The one for whom these whole festivities were organised? The one who is on a journey to find his mate and to bring her back home? THOR?!” Your voice was slightly raised with the panic settling deep inside your bones. This couldn’t be happening.

“What is the matter? I might be a prince, but that does not change a thing. I do not know if you feel the things that I feel, but there is a connection, certain chemistry between us if you wish, and I could not care less for your title. Princess or a maid that does not matter to me. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, in my entire life, and if you let me, I would like to get to know you enough to ask you to be my mate,” he finished his speech, and your mouth was hanging open.

Not very lady-like, you were aware of that, but you couldn’t help it.

“This is not a good idea, your majesty, I should not-“   
“Thor, call me Thor, please. Just give me a chance to show you the real me. I bet you have heard a lot of rumours here and there, and you think you know who I am, but if you just gave me one day to make you see the real Thor.”

You knew it was foolish. You should have told him to just leave you alone, go back to Asgard and to forget all about you.   
But the nagging feeling you had since morning, now transferred into a nagging voice in your head, which wouldn’t let you tell him off. The little voice was telling you to just give him a chance. Give yourself a chance on the long lost happiness. Just for a day, and then you could ask him to leave Midgard and never to come back looking for you.

Or you could leave again. You were sure you could go to some other kingdom, and, in the very least, be in some small village bakery. You would work it out just like you always have. You just needed to spend one day imagining what it would feel like if your life took a different turn.   
“Alright, you have one day,” you said with a firm nod, and Thor gave you the most breathtaking smile you have ever seen.   
You were in some serious trouble.


	4. Just For Today

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor is determined to make you see that he is more than his title. But as much fun as you have with him, you can’t let him come too close.

Waking up, you felt a weird feeling in your stomach. You thought that maybe you ate something rotten last night, but you knew that was hardly possible when you were part of the kitchen, and you knew that all the food processed there was the best that could be found in Midgard. 

You then recalled the events of last night, and realised, with horror, that the weird feeling was actually a bunch of butterflies fluttering in your stomach. You have never felt that way about another Alpha, and it scared you a little. And by little, you meant so much you almost doubled in the bed to vomit. 

You tried to calm down, thinking of soothing things, such as your hands kneading dough, or you walking through the gardens here in Midgard. When you felt sure enough that your stomach wouldn’t betray you, you got out of bed and walked towards you small closet to put something on. Your best dress was used at yesterday’s party, and you didn’t want to seem like you were giving it too much thought, so you opted for a simple green dress, with a small embroidery of an olive branch in golden thread, creating a nice looking belt around your waist.   
Putting your hair in a neat bun, you smiled at the person in the mirror. You didn’t want to admit it, but you were quite excited to see Thor again. The Alpha left quite the impression on you, even though you’ve heard quite enough about him to know that it all could be just an act to get under your skirts. 

But he wouldn’t have it that easy with you, you thought as you gave yourself one last look before you heard the heavy pounding on your door. Your heart skipped a beat, but you went to open the door anyway, knowing that if you didn’t, the tall Alpha would most probably burst in anyway. 

When the door swung open, Thor’s scent wrapped around once again, and for a second, you didn’t have an ounce of worry in your body. For a second it felt like everything would be alright as long as you stayed with the Alpha standing in front of you, grinning like a little babe.

  
“Good morning, sweet Y/N. I must thank you once again for letting me spend today with you. I hope you will not regret it once the day is over,” he said in the melodious voice of his, and you had to stop yourself from purring.

  
You also hoped you wouldn’t regret it, but from very different reasons than Thor. You knew he was afraid you wouldn’t like him, you would think of him as only a bratty prince. But if he knew the whole truth, he’d know that that was the least of your worries. On the contrary, you were afraid you’d like him too much, and you’d have to break two hearts by the end of the day. But you were getting ahead of yourself. Maybe there was nothing more to him than a bratty idiot, and you prayed to whoever was listening that that was the case. Your poor heart couldn’t take another heartbreak. 

“Do you have anything planned, my prince, or are you letting me choose the activities for the day?” You said playfully, pushing your worries to the back of your mind. You could deal with those later. 

“Since you are at home here, I thought you could maybe show me around, take me to your favourite places so that I could get to know you better, Y/N,” he husked out, and you could see he was fighting himself not to call you Omega again.   
It was a very intimate thing do to call one by their presentation, and even though you both let your bodies take over your minds, you knew that you should show each other that much respect. At least for the time being. 

“Alright, but I’m going to have to ask you something. Could you wear a shawl, or something similar to it? You are quite a famous man here in Midgard, and I think our people would throw themselves at you. With which I’m fine, of course. I just think you can be more than a prince for the day,” you said with a smirk, and he gave you a cheeky grin in return, nodding in agreement. 

“Would you mind if I borrowed something from you? I haven’t thought of it this way, I was too excited to meet you again to think about anything either way,” he added with a small blush creeping to his cheeks, and you giggled at his boyishness. Who would have thought that the mighty Thor would be standing in front of you, blushing and grinning like a youngster?   
You grabbed the first shawl you saw on the chair near your bed, and, coincidentally, it matched your dress perfectly. It was suited to wear on top of the dress in case the weather wasn’t the most inviting, but considering it was the middle of summer, and the sun was the warmest it could be, you knew you could do without it. 

Thor took it in his hand, cradling it like it was the most important thing he has ever held, before he brought it to his nose, inhaling sharply. You could see him clenching his fists talking to you before, and you knew he was craving to bury his face in your neck again. But, once again, it was against the decorum, and Thor was gentleman enough not to push you. He was immensely thankful, though, for your shawl, because he wanted to scent you again. His inner wolf was restless the whole night because his Omega wasn’t next to him. 

You smiled at his actions before you closed the door behind you, walking in front of Thor, who was putting your shawl on his head to hide his identity, at least partially.   
“So, where are we headed first, lovely Y/N?”   
You blushed at the adjectives he ascribed you. 

“I thought we could visit the market first. It is truly one of the most magical places in Midgard, and I hope you will enjoy the play of colours and smells there. It always calms me down to be among the people smiling at each other and being overall extremely pleasant. Not everybody is like that, you know?” you asked in a low voice, and although Thor thought there was something more to this, he let it go. He didn’t want to scare you off, after all. There would be time to ask what you meant by it. 

“Well, onto the market, then,” Thor hollered, and you giggled at his actions. That made him smile even brighter, for he has never heard a sound more pretty than that you just made. He’s been around many women in his life, but he has never felt the way he felt around you. You were bringing new meaning to his life, and he just prayed you would feel the same. He knew he found the one and only for him, and he couldn’t think of what he would do were you to reject him.   
—-

The market place was buzzing with people. Thor never really felt the need to visit such place, even in Asgard, because everything he needed was between the walls of the royal palace. But seeing all the joy it brought you, to be among the people and the fresh fruits and fish, he made a mental note to make sure you could visit a market every day in Asgard if you wished.   
You walked straight to your most favourite stand, the one with exotic herbs. You never saw so many different herbs at one place, and when you first saw the old ladies stand, you almost fainted. She had everything you’ve ever dreamed off, and it was thanks to her and her skilled hands and eyes that you were able to bake such sweet and exquisite pastry. You would always bring her some to thank her, and today was no exception. 

You pulled some carefully wrapped rolls out of the sack on your shoulder that Thor didn’t even notice you were wearing, and she smiled brightly at you, revealing her toothless gums.   
“My sweet Y/N, thank you for these. You are definitely the best baker in the whole country. And who do we have here?” She asked you, her eyes resting on Thor.   
“This is a friend of mine,” you said mysteriously, not wanting to reveal Thor’s real name. But the old woman didn’t need you to tell her. She could see that his blood was royal. Just like yours, although you never talked about it with her. 

“Would you like to buy something today?” She asked, instead.   
You shook your head and looked at Thor. 

“No, not today. But I’ll come back tomorrow, I promise,” you smiled at her, and she simply nodded.   
“Let me just give you this, then,” she said, and she pulled something from behind the stand. It was a dried flower, you could tell that much. Its petals were white and small, and you were sure you’ve seen it grow on your favourite meadow. 

“It’s called yarrow, and it’s got magical effects,” she explained, rubbing her fingers along the petals before she extended her hands to grab both your and Thor’s hands, pressing the pollen and the scent of the flower onto your skins. 

“And what does it do, if I may ask?” You asked, curiously, glancing at Thor, who had a confused expression on his face.   
“It will only help the fate, worry not, my sweet child. Now go, you have a lot to do today, do you not?” She smirked at you and let go of your hands. The scent on your skin wasn’t harsh, you actually thought it worked nicely with your own, natural scent. And when you caught the whiff of Thor’s scent, it complimented him as well, and you were even more drawn to him if that was possible. 

You smiled at her again, and walked away from her stand, with Thor hot on your heels.   
“How do we know that she is not trying to poison us?” Thor asked, incredulously, still turning to see the old woman watching the two of you.   
You giggled and looked at his worried face. 

“She means well, and her heart is gold. From what I hear, her life has been a tough one, but she’s a good soul. And she always helped me, when I was lost in the labyrinth of tastes and smells. I trust her. Is that enough for you, your majesty?”   
He growled playfully at you, touching your hip lightly, and even though there was a lot of fabric between your skin and his fingertips, you felt sparks erupting where he touched you.

  
“I told you not to call me that, did I not? And yes, if you trust her, then I trust her as well. I just wanted to make sure she didn’t want to hurt you. I wouldn’t stand that!” He rumbled, and you had to fight a smile. 

“No need to protect me from my friends, Thor. I can very well fend for myself. Despite the popular belief, not all Omegas are damsels in distress,” you smirked at him and walked forward to your other favourite stand. The one with fresh fruits from Joshua, the farmer. He was also a single Alpha, and he always hit on you, even though you weren’t interested. However, his fruits were indeed the best on the market, and you could survive a few harmless flirtatious smirks and remarks if it meant you would enjoy the richest of fruits.   
When you neared his stand, his bright smile welcomed you, and you waved back at him. What you didn’t see was Thor’s change of expression, eyeing the Alpha in front of him, and trying to calculate the danger he was to his chosen Omega. 

Joshua’s eyes flickered to the looming presence behind you, and his expression changed as well. He had somewhat of a crush on you, and seeing you walking around with another Alpha wasn’t too comfortable to him. He measured Thor, seeing that the Alpha with you was at least a good few inches taller than him and that his muscles were also more toned.   
Thor could see the Alpha’s eyes on him, and he could see that the little Alpha realised that he was no fight for Thor, and that made him smile in victory.   
You were unaware of this silent eye-to-eye fight going on, as you were hungry eyeing the beautiful apples laying in the baskets. You turned around to face Thor, a bright smile on your lips. 

“Should we take some snacks before we head out where I want to go next? These apples look like something from a book, don’t you think?”   
Thor looked down at you, and seeing the charming smile, he knew he was done for. He would agree with you whatever you said, he would bring you whatever you wanted, as long as this smile stayed on your plump lips. 

He only managed to nod in astonishment, and you patted his arm before turning around to ask for four apples. But what Thor didn’t think about was that you would have to talk to the owner of the stand, Joshua. 

Joshua gave you a bright smile, his eyes glistening with adoration for you.   
“Morning, beautiful Y/N. What brings you here today? Did you just want to see me again, you little minx?”   
You ostentatiously rolled your eyes at him with a little smile. 

“Good morning, Joshua. I definitely did not, and I would like to have four apples if you were so kind,” you told him, immune to his flirting. Joshua was definitely a great guy, and if you were interested, you were sure he would treat you like a queen. The issue was that his scent did nothing to you. And talking to him was like talking to an old friend- easy and comfortable, but there were no butterflies, not even when you first met him. 

You could feel Thor’s presence behind you, as he pressed against your back protectively, especially after Joshua called you a minx, and you felt the heat in your cheeks. With Thor, you felt like the most delicate person, his encompassing your whole being and your every sense. 

Only now you realised that Joshua was glancing at Thor now and then, and you could only imagine Thor’s own expression. Alphas, ugh. You shook your head and patiently waited for Joshua to give you those apples hoping he would do it as fast as possible so that you could do what you came to do that day. Get to know Thor properly. 

But, of course, Joshua was taking his time, handpicking the apples, trying to make small talk, while you only gave him curt one-word replies. He probably understood that it was not the best time to talk to you, because after several attempts, he finally shut up, gave you your apples, and after Thor insisted he’d pay for them, you two walked away.   
“You’re a popular woman, Y/N,” Thor grunted as you left the market place, and you huffed out a laugh.   
“I come here very often, Thor, and some people are simply friendlier than others,” you replied with a smirk. “I bet you are popular as well, especially amongst women of Asgard, are you not?” 

Thor knew this conversation was inevitable, but he also hoped it would take you a little more time to talk about it. He didn’t know what to tell you. He knew his reputation, and it was very much truth. He had no explanation as to why he did what he did. 

“Yes, I guess you’re right. I know my reputation precedes me, and I’m not going to lie to you. I’ve had my fair share of women, and I don’t have any excuse. I just want you to know that, if you choose to trust me, I won’t ever look at another woman. I’ve been acting childishly, trying to hold on to some kind of freedom in my own life, but now I know it was the wrong way to do it. I’ve fought in wars and indulged in women, but that would be no more, you have my word,” Thor finished just as you came to the place you wanted to show him. 

You touched his arm to get him out of his mind for the moment, and looked around. This was your favourite place in Midgard. This beautiful, vast, untouched meadow, full of yellow globeflowers, dandelions, daisies, and many other flowers which made your heart beat faster. Of course, you liked the kept gardens of the castle. But this was something different.   
This was wild, but still beautiful and you found peace in the natural order of flowers and weeds. This was your happy place, where you came whenever you felt even slightly down, or when you wanted to be in sync with nature. 

You grabbed the shawl from Thor’s head, and put in on the grass, creating a little seating place for the two of you.   
“I don’t want to judge you by the things that are said about you. I want to get to know the real you before I make any judgement. But I want you to know that if, and right now it’s huge if, we should be together, I will gladly take your word for it. But right now, I just want to know more about you, if you let me, of course,” you whispered and looked at Thor through your lashes. 

He looked ever more handsome in the middle of the mass of flowers, his softer features standing out, and he no longer seemed so terrifying. His eyes were playful, and his touch was soft when he caressed the back of your hand. 

“I will tell you anything you want to know, my wildflower,” he said and kissed the back of your hand.   
You shivered from the feeling of his lips pressed against your skin, and for a brief moment, you let yourself imagine what it would feel like to feel his lips against yours. But you shooed the thought away. 

Because while you valued honesty above all else, you knew it was the only thing you couldn’t grant Thor. There were too many secrets behind your eyes, and while you wanted to share it with him, you were afraid of his reaction. So you just sat there, listening to his life story, and thinking, what was the best way to try and run away. Nobody could ever find out your secrets. Not even your chosen Alpha. And you would do anything in the world to protect him from them. From him.


	5. In the Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is only one thing left to do to protect Thor from your past. Run. And neither Tony nor Thor are too happy about your decision.

Waking up the next morning, a warmth surrounded you. You knew that the warmth came from the sun shining outside of the castle’s walls, but you had the feeling as if it came from inside of you. Just from the warmth, your heart has been basking in ever since Thor said goodbye to you the night before. You stayed up talking for the better part of the night, sharing little information about each other, enjoying the other’s company.

Thor left with a huge smile on his face, and you loved how his cheeks reddened when you complimented him on something he wasn’t used to. Thor was a beautiful man, you were aware of that, and you were pretty sure he also knew about this quality. He was used to people complimenting him on his golden hair, on his strength, on his body, all of it. But when you told him you admired his intelligence, he couldn’t help himself but feel like a schoolgirl.

When you noticed this little trait of his, you tried to highlight the things you were sure some people didn’t care to see. His strength was admirable, sure, but it was the strength of character that you elevated when talking to him. However bad he thought himself as a prince, you assured him that he was still acting like the heir of Asgard’s throne, not giving his father the chance to doubt him. You were sure all kings when talking to Odin would tell him that Thor was the example of eloquence and royalty, that he wasn’t just the bratty child they expected.   
It was thanks to encouragements like these Thor knew you would make the best of queens. Especially for him. He tended to be rash, sometimes, in his decision-making process, his hot head getting the best of him. But with you by his side, Thor knew you would tell him when he was being irrational, and also tell him when it was enough of the childishness.

Thor also knew that there wouldn’t ever be any other woman for him other than you. You were perfect in every possible way, from the way your giggles turned into adorable snorts when there was something you found especially funny, to the way you scrunched your nose when you were thinking, Thor couldn’t stop looking and smiling at you.   
The whole day was perfect for both of you, and both you and Thor went to sleep feeling like you were on top of the world.

But when the morning glow diminished, and you suddenly realised that no matter how meant to be the two of you were, you couldn’t be with him. In your eyes, Thor deserved somebody better, or at the very least, somebody with a clean slate. Someone whom he could present as the rightful queen without feeling guilty or as if though he should be hiding something.

When you finally realised that you cared about him enough not to let him undergo all of this, you finally rolled out of bed and went straight to your little closet.   
You needed to get out of there.

Clothes were sent flying through the room as you tried to pack as lightly as you could, only taking the utmost necessities and the things that were left to you by your mother, like the pendant she gifted you when you reached 18. It was one of the best days of your life, and one of the last good days you had with your parents. From that point onwards, everything went to hell, and eventually, your whole existence became your own personal hell.

Until you met Thor and you had the glimmer of hope that things could be better. But you knew that they couldn’t. That as long as there were parties still searching for you, trying to deliver your head to the king, you didn’t stand a chance for happiness. And only because your life was damned, you were willing to condemn Thor to the same fate.   
With that thought you got up from the floor, scribbled a quick letter to the king, thanking him for all he’s done for you in the past few years, and set on the journey. And it would be a long one.   
—-

Thor woke up with a smile on his lips. He hasn’t felt this elated in a long time. Usually, he woke up hungover, with multiple women weaved into his own limbs, and he still felt empty and sad, trying to fill a hole he didn’t even know he had.

But with you in his life, he suddenly knew what he missed. The connection, however short it has been, was unconquerable for Thor. He saw a few women ever since he met you, smiling at him, obviously flirting him and if he were his old self, he was positive he would have enjoyed the company of at least two of those women.   
But he didn’t need to anymore. He went to sleep alone and woke up the happiest man in the world. I all seven of them, he was sure of it.

Thor had time to spare because you told him that there was work to do in the morning to prepare baked goods for Tony’s lunch, and so he went and roamed the castle, his head high up in the skies, thinking of you. The way you smelled, the way your velvety skin felt against his finger, the way your lips would feel when he finally got enough courage to kiss you properly.   
He didn’t even realise it, but while he roamed, Thor got to Tony’s quarters. He wouldn’t be so bold as to knock on anybody’s door, hasn’t it been his old friend. He waited a while before Tony smiled at Thor from the door.

“Your majesty, what can I do for you?” Tony mocked and stepped aside for Thor to come in.   
Thor rolled his eyes at Tony and walked to the couch in the middle of the room, before he slumped down like a sack of potatoes, stretching his limbs, lazy smile on his face.   
Tony eyed him up and down, smirking to himself.

“I assume you had a good night from the look on your face, huh? How many was it this time, two, three, ten?” Tony laughed at his friend, and Thor scoffed. He would’ve been offended if it hadn’t been true just a few weeks ago.

“No, my friend. I had nobody in my chambers for your information. But I spent the best of days with a beautiful girl, yesterday,” Thor said proudly, reminiscing about the way your hips swayed ever so little as you walked through the market yesterday.

“Oh, do tell! You know how hungry for gossip I am,” Tony sat down next to Thor, evidently eager for more information about Thor’s rendezvous.   
“I found my true mate, pal! Would you believe it? And to think I wasted days roaming other kingdoms when I could’ve come straight here and been with her for all this time? Preposterous!”

Tony just gaped at Thor with his mouth open, before he recollected himself and patted Thor’s shoulder.   
“Who is she? How did you find her? Is she some court lady? Somebody else altogether? When is the wedding?” Tony rambled on until Thor stopped him by bursting into laughter. But before he could say anything more, a servant almost ran into Tony’s chamber, and wasn’t it for the slightly alarmed look on his face, Tony would most probably pester him for coming in without as much as knocking.

“Your majesties, I’m awfully sorry for barging in so suddenly, but I was instructed that I should deliver this letter to you as soon as possible. I was told that it is the most pressing matter,” the servant breathed out.

“And who told you so?” Tony eyed him up and down before taking the letter from his hand.   
“Your queen, my king. I was looking for you in the throne room but found only her, and as the letter was addressed to both of you, I thought I would give it to the queen, but upon reading she sent me rushing to you, my king,” the servant finished.

Tony scanned through the letter, and his stomach turned. Thor could see the change in Tony’s face, glancing back at the servant, trying to connect the dots, but there weren’t many.   
“This can’t be true! Why would she do this! She is in such grave danger, and now she runs away from here? It doesn’t make any sense, whatsoever. Tell me, boy, when did you find this letter?” Tony barked, standing from the chair and pacing around the room.

“She didn’t come to the kitchen on the appointed time, and because she was always on time, Mr Thornes, the main baker, sent me looking for her. He was scared that something might have happened to her, but when I came to her chambers, all that was left was this letter,” the servant said obediently, trying not to be intimidated by Tony’s harsh looks.

“Somebody must stop her. I understand she says that this is her decision, but I’ve protected her long enough that she feels like a sister to me. I must find her and bring her here before anybody else does,” Tony snarled and tried to walk out of the room before Thor stopped him by laying his hand on Tony’s shoulder.

“What is going on, Tony? You look like the whole kingdom should fall tonight,” Thor said jokingly, but his face remained like a stone.   
“It’s just a girl I’ve been protecting by hiding her here as one of the helping hands in the kitchen. She is now gone, and I worry about her safety,” Tony said, and for a second, Thor felt as if a cold breeze swooshed over him. It couldn’t be you, could it?

“And what is her name, if I may ask?” Thor almost whispered, fearing Tony’s answer.   
“Well, I don’t know what good that information is to you, but if you must know, her name is Y/N.”

Thor’s world crumbled in that very moment. What felt like the best day in his whole life, suddenly turned out to be possibly the worst one.


	6. The Whole Story

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You are on the run, thinking back to where it went wrong, and why you must be running for your life. Tony learns what you mean to Thor, and how crucial it is to actually find you safe.

You woke up with a start. Where were you? And how the hell did you get there? You thought as you slowly in all your surroundings. You only then realised that you made a bed of leaves last night and that that’s exactly where you woke up that morning. Cold and sore, but determined to continue on your way. You didn’t want to be the reason why Thor would be beheaded, and that reason alone was enough for you to swiftly get up, pick up the sack you had with you with the remaining of your food, and set on foot once again. 

It’s been three long days since you ran away like a coward. No, you thought. You had your reasons, and you knew that.   
But still, you ran away without saying goodbye to your friends and to Thor. Just the thought of him and his beautiful smile with his warm eyes looking deep inside your soul made your skin tingle. The Omega in you whined and demanded to be taken back to where she belonged, but no could do. 

You had your old compass in one hand, trying to head as much west as you could, staying off of lands which you knew were part of some kingdoms, and tried to stay on the borders as much as possible, until you’ve entered the land of nobody. 

It was a long stretch of land which has been fought over for centuries, but there has never been a winning party, letting the land to be unattended, which then made it perfect for you. You knew you had to reason to trespass to different kingdoms, and you also knew that if you were to be your true self, nobody would believe you. And if you weren’t… being an unclaimed Omega was difficult enough. You could only imagine some people treating you like a whore, and you tried to keep that as far as possible. 

It was around midday that you willed yourself to stop, to at least rest for a bit, have a chug of water from the stream and maybe eat some berries to keep your energy at least at this level. It wasn’t a high level, but you still could walk, and you remained cautious, so you thought it was enough energy to keep you alive for at least another day.   
You knew there weren’t any indications of the royal searching parties, either Tony’s or the others searching for you, but there was still this feeling of restlessness inside you that you just couldn’t shake off, no matter what. 

You sat down next to the stream, letting the running water calm your nerves. When you were little, you used to imagine kingdoms inside all the elements, and your father supported this imagination of yours by drawing these tiny kingdoms on huge canvases. 

Smiling at the memory, you let your brain wander wherever it wanted, for the first time in a while. Not that you didn’t cherish these memories, but they were simply too painful, too far away for you to fixate yourself on them. Because what was now a dream, was now more of a nightmare at that. 

_You could see yourself walking down the halls in Bennegard, smiling at the guard walking next to you, making silly faces just to hear that little giggles of yours. His name was Sam, you remembered that much. He used to be your personal guard, making sure you got to all the meals and the official gatherings safely, and, most of the time, happy as well.  
Your father walked inside his office, shutting the door behind him as he turned towards you._ You were 8, or 9 at that time, you remembered that.   
_“How is my pumpkin today?” You father asked cheerfully, setting down his crown to crunch to your level._

_You ran and hugged him around his neck, and when he got up, you were hanging on him like an annoying little branch. You quickly wrapped your legs around his stomach, keeping yourself in place before you gave him a huge kiss on his cheek, ending it with a loud smack._

_He laughed carelessly, hugging you tight to his body, before he collapsed back on the floor, only to start tickling you with fervour. You laughed till you cried and begged him for mercy. With a laugh of his own, he happily granted it to you._

_“Oh, pumpkin. I’d much rather be here with you, and your lovely mother if she ever comes back from that garden of hers, than to go and deal with those fools. Zeinard is such an ambitious man, I feel like he could have been a better king, in another life. Good thing he is my counsellor, huh? At least I can be here, and he can take care of all the unnecessary papers,” your father winked at you, before he engaged you in a conversation about your afternoon activities, wanting to go horse riding._

You smiled gently at that memory, loving how your father detested all that formal nonsense but was still such a kind man, who only wanted good for his country and his family. In his times, Bennegard was a little colder, sure, nobody could do anything with the weather, but the country flourishes anyway. And because of the jewels found deep in the caves, the country also flourished economically. 

Another memory flooded your mind, another happy one, you sighed happily. It was the time when you and your mother sneaked to the kitchen to bake something good for your father’s birthday. He loved when the cooks prepared him something, sure. But when he knew that it was actually his loving Omega and his only child? It made his heart sing in joy.   
You smiled because you knew that that’s why you had at least some knowledge of the ordinary stuff, helping you survive after all that happened.

Your mind made a leap, and you knew what kind of memory you would face now. Not the happy ones anymore.   
It all happened on your 14th birthday, and it was all too sudden. At least to you, it was. When you went back to that place in your mind, you later realised that the months preceding the events, your father was slightly tenser and he would spend a little more time behind closed doors. To no avail, apparently.

  
_You were in the gardens with your mother, picking the right apples to bake your favourite apple pie, when you heard rustling from somewhere behind you. You looked up to your mother, who had a stoic expression on her face, but she still managed to give you a tight smile.  
“Sweetheart, what I’m going to tell you now is extremely important. You need to hide. You need to hide somewhere, where nobody will find you. Dark times are coming, and I promise that if I make it out alive, I’ll find you. But now, you must go, my sweet little child,” you mother whispered hurriedly, and from the intensity, you saw in her eyes, you didn’t find it in you to fight her or ask her anything. _

_You just curtly nodded and set to run. You could hear voices from behind you, but you didn’t have the stomach to turn around and look at what was happening. It was only when you heard your father’s shouting and your mother’s ear-piercing scream that you willed your legs to a halting stop._

_Still, you didn’t turn around. Even if you did, you were far enough not to be able to see what happened. But from the shouts and chants, you knew one thing. You no longer had parents, and you were suddenly all alone in the world. No longer princess, just an orphan wandering around the world._

_You hid in the tree crown, high in the sky enough to give you shelter, but low enough for you to hear if anything happened underneath you. You knew you were a lucky girl because you still haven’t presented, meaning your natural scent would be easily covered by some mud._

_In an hour, what used to be a royal guard once, and were now treacherous snakes came to the forest, obviously looking for something. Or someone.  
“She couldn’t have gone far, boys! The little frog must b somewhere here, and you know what we need to do with her. I think her head will be enough for the new king to prove that she is indeed dead, but nobody said anything about having some fun first. So, whoever finds her first can go first on her,” one of the guards laughed heartily, and the rest followed. _

Your stomach clenched at the thought, and you had a lot of work to do to not vomit at the image it evoked in your brain.   
You shuddered involuntarily at the memory, thanking whoever was listening that they let you stay pure and unviolated by those cruel men. Those men who once swore to protect you and your family were now the men you feared the most. How ridiculous once life can get. 

You quickly gathered your things and began to walk once again. It was enough of your trip to the memory lane, you thought, as you cleared your mind and sharpened your instincts again, to see if there was any pending danger around you. You knew it would take another few days to get to the land of nobody, and then another few days to complete safety, to some lonely island where you would be all by yourself, forever. 

That was the plan, even if your own heart protested because there was suddenly this one person whose face you had in front of you the whole time. And it was killing you to be so far away from him.   
—-

Tony told Thor the whole story about the princess whose parents were killed and who, after several weeks spent in the wilderness came knocking on his door. He remembered her as the daughter of king Norris, the sweet little child he had met many times before. So seeing her then, all covered in mud and blood, hungry and thirsty almost broke his heart.   
And even when he learnt about your parents’ death, he couldn’t do a thing about it. He didn’t have a concrete proof that Norris and his Omega were dead, and even though their little daughter heard some screams, that wasn’t enough. Besides, this little child was now the central issue of Bennegard. 

Zeinard made a claim that the king, who never truly wanted to be a king, signed a treaty that he wished to give all his titles and powers to Zeinard and go live happily with his family on a cottage on the very border of the kingdom. And most of the people believed him. 

“Even Odin himself,” Tony added, “thought it was not surprising at all, and that he accepted Zeinard as the rightful king of Bennegard.”   
Thor sighed and put his head in his hands, trying so hard not to freak out. He thought there was something almost royally about you, the air around you was just… better. But that could have been because you were his Omega, no air screamed princess at Thor, even if he stood next to one. 

But still, he liked to think he knew it somewhere deep, deep down that you were of royal descent. He didn’t even realise that he was shaking until Tony put a hand on his shoulder, giving him a quizzical look. 

“And may I ask you, dear friend, why do you care so much for my sweet Y/N?”   
Thor sighed again and looked Tony deep in the eyes. 

“Because she is the Omega I was telling you about. Y/N is my true mate, and you now told me that she was not just a princess, but a runaway one at that!”   
Tony’s eyes went wide, trying to comprehend the whole situation, and when he finally did, he collapsed on the sofa next to Thor. 

“Well, old friend, I suppose we should start looking for somebody who’s like a daughter to me, and who, with all the help from the upstairs, could once be your wife. And not only do we have to find her, but we also have to protect her and give her what should be rightfully hers. The whole kingdom of Bennegard. So, are you ready?”


	7. The Chase

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just as Tony and Thor start looking for you, somebody else learns about your existence, and is suddenly more than happy to send his whole army to get you. Now, it’s just a matter of time who gets to you first

Thor’s heart was thudding in his chest, threatening to get out and follow you wherever you were. It was beating like crazy ever since Thor realised what was going on, and even more so when he found out what dangers you were facing now that you ran away. He thought about why you felt the need to run if he was the cause if he made you feel uncomfortable or scared. Because he would hate that.

He would find out when he found you, but none of that was important. Thor just needed you in his arms again, scent you and let you know that you could trust him because he would always be there for you. You were his mate, mark or not.

Thor and Tony decided to call a searching group and go after you. They told people who they were looking for, but didn’t disclose the information about your royal title to anyone. They both thought it would be too dangerous, considering you were now somewhere alone. That alone caused both men to frown and worry.   
Even without Zeinard’s army looking for you for the past few years, the woods were dangerous on their own. The wolves were hungry and vicious, and many kingdoms lost a lot of good folk men to those animals. Thor couldn’t even imagine your fragile form somewhere in the middle of the woods, sleeping on the ground surrounded by red eyes watching your every step.

It’s been four days since you ran away, and the Alpha in Thor was restless without you. Thor thought it was actually kind of funny. If he hadn’t met you, he would have never known this weird feeling in his chest. Just a few weeks ago, he was fucking everything with a hole, and he didn’t care for anything else than a good fuck and ale, and then you came into his life like a guardian angel.

Your beautiful eyes kept Thor up and night as he mused about your last meeting, and how much he wished he was back in that market with you, seeing you so happy around the people there. His mind took a leap, and your once bright and cheerful eyes were lifeless in front of him, your face without a colour, while you were laying in your own blood with a dagger in your stomach.

Thor gasped so loudly he thought he woke up the whole searching party from their short rest. The image was so vivid, Thor was covered in a thin layer of sweat, his heart still beating like crazy in his chest, rising and falling from the force of it. The light was coming into the tents through the flaps, and Thor knew it was another morning already. Another morning without you in his arms.

When he felt stable enough once again, he left his tent and let one of the servants pack it for him and put it on his horse. Tony welcomed Thor with just a nod, knowing that Thor probably slept even less than Tony himself did. And that was very little to start with.

“We’re in the middle of the land of nobody, and she is still nowhere to be found. I worry that even if we were any closer to her, she might be hiding from us on purpose,” Tony muttered, biting into the piece of bread in his hand. It was nothing like the one you baked in the castle, and that thought alone made Tony’s stomach churn.

“If we were close, I would sense her. I understand that you might not know exactly how sweetly she smells, but I wouldn’t be able to miss it even if I wanted to. And honestly, I feel we are getting closer. The dreams are much more vivid, and I can almost taste her scent on the tip of my tongue. So we must continue,” Thor growled.   
Tony raised his hands, showing his friend that he was no danger to him or his Omega, and Thor just gave Tony an apologetic smile, both of them knowing that Thor was just agitated and the sooner they found you, the sooner Thor would settle.

But there was another thought on Tony’s mind, and when both men shared a look, they realised they were thinking about the same thing.  
Last night, when they were settling for the night, they thought they saw a lamp on the hill opposite to where they were staying, but when they sent people to check in on it, they found nothing, not even a scent left behind.

They both dismissed it, because they were too tired to care, and they thought that maybe their minds were playing with them due to their exhaustion.   
But when the morning came, the image came back clear as a day, and they both knew that it wasn’t just a dream of their tired minds. Somebody was following them.   
—-

When the party was on the way again, there was a certain agitation among the soldiers. The imminent threat of somebody following them was pressing in the back of their minds, and the longer they travelled, the more anxious they were all feeling.

It was only when they reached the Dark Woods, that they could hear the hoofs of horses from another party somewhere behind them. Tony stopped his own troops and manoeuvred his horse so that he was facing the direction from which the noises were coming.   
It took another 20 minutes or so before Tony and Thor saw the first rider. And when they saw the flag he was holding, it was more than obvious who has been following them.   
_Bennegard._

Not that it was that difficult to deduce, but now, seeing the flag, Thor’s eyes darkened, and if it wasn’t for Tony and his warning look, Thor would be marching towards the party and slaughtering everybody there, sending their corpses back to Zeinard as a message.

Stay away from my Omega.

But he needed to play his part because nobody was supposed to know about you and your birthrights, and so everybody needed to stay calm. Well, Tony and Thor did because they were the only ones actually aware of your secret.

Thor kind of hoped Zeinard would be a part of the searching party, but he was nowhere to be found. Of course not. It would be too easy to kill him that way. And he was a fucking coward, crouching on the stolen throne, waiting for his loyal murderers to bring him the head of his only threat: the princess.

“What brings you here, king Anthony?” The leader of the party asked with a smirk.

“We’re looking for a woman of my court. What are you doing here, soldiers of Benengard?” Tony asked through gritted teeth.

“We’re looking for a traitor of our court and our king. Maybe we’re looking for the same woman. Wouldn’t that be a funny coincidence?” The soldier asked, and a few men around him, snickered like children.

“Oh yeah, funny indeed. What do you intend to do with the woman when you find her, if I may ask?” Tony said, despite knowing exactly what they’re going to do.  
The soldier laughed wholeheartedly now, and Thor had to use all of his will power not to launch at him and cut his tongue out.

“Kill her, of course. What would you do to a traitor? Somebody plotting against you and trying to take what is rightfully yours,” the soldier smirked, but the smirk was soon gone, because he saw the dark grins on Tony’s and Thor’s faces, as if they knew something. As if they knew the truth.

“Of course, well, good luck, let’s hope this is the last we see of each other, and that you will shortly return to your homes, empty-handed,” Tony hollered but didn’t wait for the soldier’s response as he swung his arm letting his own army know that they were on the move again.

When they saw that the Bennegard army took another rout, Tony looked over to Thor who nodded and made his horse speed a little to be by Tony’s side.   
“If there is any magical way you could call your mate, that would be really helpful. Because even though I’m willing to fight for Y/N, I’m worried that there won’t be a person to fight for if they get to her first,” Tony said with sad eyes, and Thor’s back became sweaty very fast.

Because he knew Tony was right, and although he didn’t have any magical skill, he prayed to all Gods who were willing to listen to him, to make you understand how much danger was approaching you.

—-  
The night was coming soon, too soon for everybody’s liking. They were all ready to settle for the night, have a piece of bread and peas, and just relax their muscles tired from all the riding.   
Thor was halting his horse to a stop, but then he smelt something. It was very soft, and if his head was turned in a different direction, he was sure he wouldn’t be able to catch it, but there it was.   
His head perked up, and he scented the air harder, trying to find the traced of the sweet scent he found moments ago. He bid his horse forward, ignoring the calls of the soldiers behind him because now he was a man with a mission.

The Alpha in him stood tall and proud, and all his senses were suddenly elevated, searching for any tangible proof that he wasn’t going mad just yet. And when the wind blew in his direction, his soul almost jumped out of his own body, trying to get you. Because there was no doubt in Thor’s mind that the scent he caught was yours.   
His horse was going in almost unnatural speed, Thor rushing him forward, and the closer he got, the stronger your scent got. He was elated, his heart hammering against his ribs, joyous that he would get his Omega into his arms once again.

He was flying through the forest, smiling like an idiot, but his smile fell the second he could hear you. You were whining and sobbing, and when Thor slowed down a bit and smelled the air again, he understood why.

Bennegard’s army found you first.

Thor hid behind the thick bushes and watched what was going on, seeing you on your knees with the leader of the searching party standing above you, with a dark grin and a knife in his hand. Thor was still far enough to hear properly what was being said, but he didn’t need to hear to understand. They wanted to kill you, slaughter you like an animal in the woods and bring you to their fake king as a gift.

Thor growled under his breath, thinking about what to do. He knew he lost Tony and his party somewhere far away, but he hoped they would try to go to him. Because as strong and mighty Thor was, he couldn’t take 15 men all by himself.

The wind blew again, and Thor could see your eyes lifting from the ground to search the surrounding area. Thor knew you could scent him, and when a broken sob left your body, Thor knew there was no time to lose.

He was going to fight them even if it meant he’d fall. He would fall for you any given day, and this day was as good as any other. As long as his Omega was safe and happy, he would die a happy man.


	8. Not So Fast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is a fight between Bennegard’s and Tony’s army. What Thor doesn’t expect is you to join the fight with fierce movements. And he falls more for you.

You didn’t think your life would end this way. On your knees, in front of a man who has never seen you before, slaughtering you like a pig. You wanted to fight, you really did. But they caught you off guard. You were bunking up for the night, trying to look for something to eat because the food you brought from the castle has already been eaten, and your stomach was growling angrily.

It was when you crunched beside a bush of what looked like blackberries that you caught their scents, but they were too close by then for you to have any real chance to fight or run.   
Not that you didn’t think of something happening or somebody hunting when you ran, and that was why your dress was hunched up at the moment.   
It was a trick your mother showed you a long time ago, just to be on the safe side of the thing, and you were immensely thankful for that now. All you had to do was to lift the front side of your dress so that your knees were showing.

Then you gathered all the fabric of the dress and pulled it in front of you, pulling all the gathered fabric between your legs, creating something like a pad. Then, taking half of the material in each hand to create wings you tied both ends in the front so that your legs were completely free.   
This little trick allowed you to run faster, and, if need be, to be able to fight much more easily. Not that you had that much strength in your arms or something, but the constant picking of trays and playing with the dough helped you keep in shape.

But it didn’t help you when the guards caught your arms suddenly and flanked you towards their leader. He gave you a cocky smile before the back of his hand hit your cheek, sending you flying backwards a few steps before somebody else caught you.

You just prayed they would kill you fast, and not torture you or rape you. All you wanted was a quick death, keeping your innocence intact.   
“Well, isn’t that a big surprise, sweetheart? Haven’t seen you in a while, you grew up!” The leader chirped, and when you took a closer look, you realised you’ve known him your whole life. He used to be one of your father’s personal guards, and now you understood how anyone could get through them.

“Ulrich, you son of a bitch,” you said, and without a second thought, you spat right into his smirking face. That washed away the smirk pretty quickly, and a frown appeared on his face. He nodded at the men in front of him, and somebody handed him a massive sword with a serpent emblem on its handle.

“I would really like to have some more fun with you, Omega, but Zeinard wants you dead. He doesn’t care who does it, he just wants to see your lifeless head 3 feet from your body. And we all want to be back from this fucking jungle, so we’re gonna do this quickly. Any last wishes?”

You trembled, but then something else caught your attention.   
It was faint, and almost not there if the wind hadn’t changed its direction you wouldn’t be able to smell it. But you did. And you instantly knew what smell was that.

_Thor._  
You would recognise it anywhere in the world. You tried to look around to see if it was just your wishful thinking that the man you knew would be your Alpha if you let him came for you, and when you couldn’t see him anywhere, you knew it was just like that.   
A broken sob broke from your chest, and you closed your eyes, ready for the blow of the sword.

But when you heard a shout, your eyes slowly lifted from the ground, and you could see that he came for you. Thor actually came for you.   
Ulrich was momentarily caught off guard, and you used it against him. You punched his groin so hard you could feel his testicles running back to his abdomen, and the pain blinded him so much he had to give up the sword and fall to the ground, groaning.

That was your chance. You swiftly stood up just in time to see Thor running in between the army of the men, sword in his hand and a murderous glare on his face.   
You couldn’t lose any more time, so you picked up the cumbersome sword, and, for a second, you doubted you could do anything with it other than let it fall back to the ground. But when you saw so many men stalking towards Thor, you knew you had to act.

You let Ulrich be because his death would have to be symbolic for Zeinard and not just simple stabbing. But from the looks of it, he wouldn’t be getting up and become a threat any time soon.

Running towards the flock of men with a vicious scream, you got most of their attention, and Thor quickly took advantage of it. He did quick work with the few standing right in front of him, slashing their throats or stabbing them right through their chests or abdomens, while you tried to do the same with those running towards you.

You weren’t a skilled fighter, so you didn’t know many of their tricks, but you understood the basics of it. Don’t let them stab you-> stab them. Easy, right?  
You did manage to get a few of them, actively trying to stay alive by dodging blades and ducking from the punches. Still, there were a few soldiers who could get a piece of you by slashing your arm or leg. On top of it all, you were getting tired, and there were still too many of them for the two of you to be able to fight them alone.

Just when you started to think about giving up and just letting them kill you, you heard horse hoofs, and soon enough you could see Tony and his army runnings towards you. You smiled triumphantly, and Tony gave you a quick smile before he dismounted his horse and started slashing soldiers from left to right.   
And it was then that you knew you would win this fight. In the back of your mind, there was the little voice telling you that if they knew who you were and where to find you, they would find you again, this time with a much greater army.

But all that could wait. What was important now was that you weren’t dead and that Thor came for you, and you needed him to stay alive as well. This thought seemed to have driven your hand as you willed it to pick up the sword one last time and kill a few of the enemy army. 

It took another good few minutes before everybody except Ulrich and one more soldier were dead. You wanted to run to Thor, but from the look on his face, you knew his mission wasn’t accomplished yet. There was still a threat in his mind, and he needed to get rid of it.

He stalked towards the soldier laying on the ground, a dark grin on his face. Before he could do anything else, you quickly stepped in and touched his elbow.   
That seemed to have caught his attention, because his eyes snapped to where your bare skin touched his, slowly lifting them until he was staring back at you.

“Don’t kill him. He needs to deliver Ulrich’s head to Bennegard for Zeinard to see. He needs to know that he should back off,” you said quietly, and Thor nodded after thinking about your idea for a second.   
He didn’t say anything, but let the man be before he changed his direction and marched towards Ulrich. He was still obviously in pain, and you smirked knowing it was your doing.

“Alright, you wanted to kill my Omega, this is the price you’ll pay,” Thor said with a grin, and before Ulrich could even speak up Thor severed his head from his body. The splash of blood hit your ankles, but because you were all muddy and bloody, you didn’t really care.   
Thor then took the head and threw at the boy sitting on the ground.

“Go, take it to your king, and tell him, that I’m coming for him, and if he ever thinks of touching my Omega again, it will be his head in my hand,” Thor growled, and the boy just nodded and ran towards where his horse was hidden.

Thor didn’t care about him anymore. He dropped his sword before he turned towards you, inspecting your body for any severe damage. He saw the few slashes and knew they would have to be tended, but none of them was life-threatening.   
He willed himself to calm down because you were finally safe in his arms.   
Thor pulled you into his chest, all but sobbing into your hair as he tried to remind himself that he no longer had to worry about you. And he knew he would never let you go off his sight.

“Y/N,” he whispered, and nuzzled his cheeks against yours, silently asking for permission to scent you properly. And you granted it without thinking.   
He let his nose slide up and down the column of your throat, nuzzling against the puncture of your neck and shoulder, the place where your scent-glands were, and where his mark would come if you allowed him to sink his teeth in.

Without hesitation, when he was satisfied, Thor bared his own neck to you, and you gratefully grumbled before you carefully scented him as well. You didn’t even realise how much you missed him, how much you needed him next to you.   
You weren’t sure how much time it took for the both of you to be satisfied, but Tony and his men where nowhere to be found, and you blushed at the thought of any of them seeing you and Thor being so intimate.

“My princess, I missed you more than I could ever express,” Thor said, and your body went rigid.

“You know? How?” You asked incredulously, and Thor kissed the crown of your head before he slung his arm around your shoulders and led you towards the camp. Or where he thought it was.

“Tony told me. When he got the message that you were gone, he was very distressed, and when I asked what your name and the cause of his distress was, he told me your story. Don’t be angry with him, my dove. He meant well, and I can be very persistent when I want,” Thor said with a smile on his face, and the anger bubbling inside you subsided. Thor was right.   
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but I couldn’t, Thor. I was so afraid, still am, because Zeinard won’t stop at anything, you saw that. He wants me dead because as long as I’m alive, I’m his only threat,” you said with a shaky voice.

Thor stopped in his tracks and reached for your face, cradling it in his huge palms.   
“Listen to me, my dove. You have nothing to apologise for. You couldn’t know whether you could trust me or not. And secondly, I will get your kingdom back to you. You are the rightful heir of Bennegard’s throne. All we have to do is go talk to my father, and with the help of Asgard’s and Midgard’s army, we will bring him down,” he said sternly, leaving no room for any possible protests.

You smiled at him, grateful but worried at the same time. He could probably see it because he kissed the frown on your forehead.   
“We will all do this because we want, my princess. It is our duty as the citizens of this world to make sure laws are abided. You don’t have to do anything for it, I’m not asking you to. I understand your life has been difficult, and you might not want an Alpha like me by your side. I just want to make sure you are safe, and you have everything you need,” he mumbled and wanted to pull away, but you didn’t let him.

“You came for me, even if you didn’t have to. You are the best Alpha any Omega could ask for. And if you still want me, despite me running away like a coward, then I’m yours,” you said, laughing at the way his your face lit up.

Thor pecked your lips softly, and when you didn’t pull away from him, he felt that this was his chance. He pressed his lips against yours in a searing kiss, caressing your cheeks with his palms, as his tongue danced with yours as if you had been doing it for ages.

When he pulled away, you could see his eyes shining, and you could only imagine your own doing the same exact thing.   
You knew the war was coming, but for the first time since your parents’ death, you weren’t afraid. You had Thor by your side, and you knew you could count on him. With anything and everything.


	9. Calm Before the Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor doesn’t hesitate and takes you back to Asgard, trying to show you that you could trust him. Unconditionally. And something shifts inside you.

The journey to Asgard was long and tiring. You tried to remain calm and collected, tried to be a lady throughout the whole thing, but the longer time you spent on horseback, and the closer you got to Thor’s kingdom, a weird feeling overpowered you, making you feel sick to your stomach.   
Thor probably noticed the uneasiness surrounding you, and also the way your scent changed during the journey, and before you could reach the borders, he stopped his horse, making you stop yours in return.

He motioned for the rest of the party to continue without the two of you for a moment, and when he was sure everybody passed, he turned around to face you with a smile on his lips. He was cautious around you, that much you could tell.

“What are you afraid of, my dove?” He asked softly, and your heart almost melted at the sound of it. This Alpha cared about you and your feelings, and you’ve never known anything like that.   
“I’m just not sure what to expect, Thor. Whole my life I tried to forget about who I was, and here I am now, officially a princess, riding through the country as if there wasn’t a price for my head,” you huffed, and shrugged your shoulders, trying to look tougher than you actually were.

You could hear the growl leaving Thor’s lips, and an involuntary shiver ran down your spine.   
“Nobody’s going to hurt you, Omega, not if I have anything to say about it. I dare any man to try and take you away from me. You’re mine if you want, and nobody but us can tear us apart,” Thor said, and all you could do was to nod, not trusting your mouth and brain to work in sync in such situation.

Thor smiled at you once again and not uttering another word he turned his horse back on track and trod away, leaving you behind with your thoughts.   
You knew he didn’t really ride away when you saw him waiting for you behind one of the trees, and letting you ride in front of him, guarding you from behind.   
You were so calm with him, all the previous thoughts evaporating from your system as you took a deep breath in, smelling not only the beautiful blooming nature all around but also Thor’s scent, heady and penetrating your every pore, and you could feel him infiltrating the whole system. You were becoming one without the act of actually becoming one and bonding.

But deep down, you knew that it wouldn’t take long before it all happened as well. You tried to push him away before, you really did, but he found you, saved your life and now there was no doubt in your mind that you two belonged to each other.

The day you got to spend with him was still fresh in your mind, the way his skin touched yours and the way the little sparks erupted under it and left you hanging for more. But back then, you pushed all those feelings away, trying to save him from the shitshow your life became a long time ago.   
But there was no going back after this. He wanted you with him, and it was his own conscious decision that you didn’t want to argue with. Because you’d go against your own heart and mind. They both belonged to him fully already, and you still had so much to learn about him.

—-  
“Breathe, Omega, he might be a famous leader, but he is also my father. They are my family, and when they see just how happy I am to have found you, they will be happy as well,” Thor gave you a reassuring smile and squeezed your hand as the main doors to the Great Hall opened, and the guards led you inside, where Thor’s family waited for the official meeting.   
As much as you tried to remain calm, your ere still slightly afraid that there would be somebody working for Zeinard, or that Odin wouldn’t find you agreeable and would send you to Zeinard straight away, either of which seemed appealing to you. But Thor was there with you, and you were pretty sure he wouldn’t let anyone hurt you.

“Thor, we have heard of your return, and we praise the Gods for your safe journey and return. Was your mission successful, or are you bringing us a new whore to meet?” Odin smirked, and you almost flinched at his harsh tone.   
You’ve heard enough of Thor’s father to create an image by yourself, but seeing him now just enforced all those opinions you’ve made. You heard he was a ruthless, emotionless man, who only cared about his kingdom and his own success, and he was proving you right.

Thor growled loud enough for the whole room to hear, and his mother and brother looked at him with wide eyes.   
His brother, Loki, as you’ve learned, was a handsome man, but very different to both Thor and Odin. Thor hadn’t said much about him, but you knew they had a complicated relationship. However, from the look on Loki’s face, he was glad his brother was alright, and you could see even a hint of pride in his eyes. But maybe you were seeing things.

“It would be wise not to talk to my Omega this way, dear father. I have found what you sent me to look for, and so much more. I admit, my previous behaviour was beastly, and I was a shame of this court and this family. However, I do believe that with the help of my beautiful mate I can be a better man, and what’s more, I want to be a better man for her, and only her,” Thor smiled down at you, caressing your cheek with his big, calloused hand, and you briefly closed your eyes, revelling at the feeling.   
His father coughed to get both your attentions again, and he measured you up and down with his eyes.

“Alright, so, who is she? I understand you haven’t had the chance to bath after the journey, but still, I could see she is no princess, and you didn’t strengthen any relationships for this kingdom, did you? You only thought about yourself, dearest son,” Odin grumbled, and Thor set his jaw, fighting himself not to bark at his own father, who was still the king.

“I fell in love when I knew her only as a baker at Midgard’s court,” Thor started, and you could hear Odin scoff at the mention of you being a mere commoner.   
“However, as I’ve learnt later, Y/N is the rightful heir to Bennegard’s throne, as her father is the late king Norris, killed by his own advisor, Zeinard,” Thor finished and snaked an arm around your middle, to keep you grounded and to show you his support.

You greatly appreciated this gesture, especially when Odin shot up from his throne and ran to you, looking between you and Thor with confusion written all over his face.   
“What you’re speaking of is the greatest treason there is, so think twice before you say something like that, boy. How do we know she is not some common whore who heard the story of a dead king and a wanted princess and is not here mocking us all, trying to get into your famous pants?”

Thor was ready to fight his father, he didn’t care anymore. And he would if Tony didn’t come in the room at that very moment.   
“I vouch for her, king Odin. I’ve known Y/N since she was a little child, and she came to my court looking for protection which I’ve gladly granted her. She is a close friend of mine, and I care deeply for her, and I would appreciate if you didn’t speak of her this way,” Tony almost growled the last part, and it made you smile a little.

There they were, two strong Alphas, known throughout the whole world, and they were protecting you with their lives.   
Odin took a step back, seeing that his comments were unwanted and he walked back to his throne, sitting at it with a heavy sigh. You knew you caused an inconvenience with your arrival, but if it were according to you, you wouldn’t have come.

You and Thor would have some solitary cabin in the woods, and you’d not have a care for the world around you. But both of you had some duties you needed to fulfil, and this was one of them. The longer you stood there at the court, the memories of what it used to be like in your own kingdom seeped through your mind, and you smiled at that.   
Those were the good old times, and you now, more than ever, craved them.

“Princess Y/N, welcome in Asgard, then. I apologise for my behaviour, but I need to be cautious, hope you understand,” he nodded at you, and you knew it was more than most people encountering Odin got, so you nodded gratefully back at him.   
“I assume you want to do something about this injustice, that is why Anthony is here as well. And I more than agree, but I would like to hear the full story when the time comes. However, we need to be smart about it. I assume Zeinard knows of your location?” The question was directed at you, and so you nodded.

“Yes, we’ve encountered his men in the woods where your son and king Anthony found me. The messenger now knows that I am alive and he will guess where I’ll hide in the near future,” you concluded, and Odin sighed again.

“I assume sending a messenger was your work, son? That’s alright. It is quite late now, why don’t the two of you go and bathe and feed, and we can discuss war plans later? From what I’ve gathered, Dysgard will be more than happy to join in, for their king hates Zeinard with all he has. That will be four armies against one, and I am not worried about the outcome, this way. But all of this can wait till tomorrow, so go, and have a good night’s rest. We’ll see you tomorrow,” Odin bowed his head slightly and so did his wife, exiting through the small door behind the throne.   
When the king and the queen were out of reach, something in the atmosphere changed.

Loki clasped his hands, and before you knew what was happening, he was running towards you and Thor with his arms outstretched, embracing Thor with so much love and joy that you had to giggle at the sight.   
“Oh, you sly fox. A princess, huh? And such beauty? You better treat her right, brother, or you will answer to me! And, by the way, a fight without me? I’m hurt,” Loki said with a fake pout, and you had to laugh out loud at that.

He noticed you and pulled you into an embrace as well.   
“Welcome, Y/N, it’s a pleasure to meet you. Hope you will find our kingdom agreeable, and, truly, if my brother ever does anything to make you angry, all you have to do is tell me. I’ll take care of him for you,” he winked before who you assumed was his wife pulled him away with an apologetic smile.

She then approached you and outstretched her hand for you to shake, clearly more minding the personal space her husband had no idea about.   
“My name is Sif, princess, and it is an honour to meet you. Excuse my husband, he is a little too excited sometimes,” she said with a smile, and you reciprocated it.   
“Alright, enough of chitchat. We can do all of that tomorrow. We both need to take a long, hot bath and eat up, because we are both starving,” Thor smiled and without another word led you out of the room.

Not only was he famished, he also felt that even though you put on a brave face, you were tired and slightly uncomfortable with all the sudden attention from all those strangers.   
“Are you alright, my dove?” Thor asked once you were away from all the prying ears.

You turned to him and hugged him close, eyes closing at the feeling of his muscular chest against your own breasts.   
“Your family is lovely, Thor, and I could never thank you enough for saving me. I know there is a lot to learn about one another, but I know in my heart that I will never want anybody else but you. You are my Alpha, Thor, and that is the only truth that matters to me right now,” you whispered, holding Thor’s gaze, and you could see the tears gathering in his stormy eyes.

He gulped before he leaned in and claimed your lips in what was first a sweet little kiss, but which turned into a heated one very quickly. And when he pulled away, and you saw just how much his pupils were blown, you knew you wouldn’t do much sleeping that night. Not that you wanted, anyway.


	10. Heated Skins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Thor finally become one, and you both enjoy every single second of it, knowing it will be like this forever.

Thor groaned into your mouth the second he properly tasted you. Truth, he’s had many women before you, not only woman, to be fair. But the second your lips met in a heated kiss, he realised he never wanted to taste another in his life.

The taste of cherries entered his system, and he could remember vividly the very first time he smelled you in the ballroom in Midgard. It all seemed like ages ago now, when he finally had you in his arms, caressing your cheeks in his massive hands, and feeling the soft skin under his fingertips sending shivers down his spine.   
Just the thought that he could have lost you made him growl into the kiss, and it made you pull away from hi, and look at him confusedly.

“I just remembered that you were almost gone, my dearest. I wouldn’t have survived if you were to die, my dove!” He sucked on your lower lip which elicited a moan from your pump lips.   
“Stop thinking about it, Alpha. I’m right here, and I don’t intend to go anywhere without you,” you smirked as you stood on your tiptoes and reached for the back of his head and drew him even closer than he was moments before.

Thor happily obliged and bowed down to your level. He smirked when he felt your fist clenching in his hair the moment his hands travelled from your cheeks to the front of your dress, and he almost downright chuckled when you mewled the moment he squeezed your breasts in his hands.

You arched your back to be closer to Thor, and to make him continue without actually telling him, and it was like your bodies knew what you needed better than your brains because you felt that the second your mind started to be hazy from all the lust coursing in your veins your body took over your actions.

Not wasting any more time you leapt in Thor’s arms and he quickly caught you, your legs wrapping around his thick body like it was their second nature.   
When Thor squeezed your ass in his palms you jumped a little, making Thor laugh softly at your actions, but only before you sucked on his pulse point and letting your teeth run from his jaw to the nape of his shoulder, where you knew your mark should be.

It wasn’t that typical in your times for an Omega to mark her Alpha, but you knew deep down that it was something you wanted to do. And from the moan, Thor obviously tried to stifle you assumed he was all for your teeth in his neck.

Smiling you bit down a little, not breaking the skin just yet, but still putting enough pressure for Thor to feel it in his cock, and from the way it jumped in his pants and against your stomach, which was pressed against Thor body, you assumed it was as pleasurable for him as you imagine it would be for you.   
Sure enough, Thor pulled slightly away from you with hooded eyes, and sniffed along your neck as well, sucking a bruise as he went on, making you fist his shirt in your fists.

“Eager, Omega?” He smirked against your skin, and you could feel him slowly walking towards his bed. But you wouldn’t care even if he brought you outside and fucked you in front of the whole court. Not at that very moment, anyway.

“Don’t tease me, Alpha, and show me if all those rumours were true,” you said with a smile creeping to your lips, and Thor looked you in the face, his brows furrowed in confusion.   
“I’ve heard some people talk about you, saying that you were the best in pleasing women, that your tongue has been made by the God himself,” you whispered, trying to sound seductive, but the heat in your cheeks was probably giving away your sudden nerves.

Thor growled lowly before he threw you on the sheets spread across his bed and bunched up your skirt in his hands, bringing it to your hips.  
You shuddered from the cold air hitting your skin so abruptly, but had no time to really think about what was happening before you felt Thor’s strong arms ripping away your undergarments to get to his goal. He looked like a man with a mission, and you couldn’t help but mewl at the sight of him.

Your mewl was soon turned into a scream, as you felt Thor’s strong tongue entering your channel, and tasting your sweet juices there. Something nobody has ever done to you.   
Your back arched from the bed and you closed your eyes, trying to get used to the weird sensation travelling through your whole body.   
It made your stomach tingle, while the rest of you felt like in a fire. But that kind of fire you welcome with open arms.

Thor was flicking his tongue expertly, and you realised that men the rumours didn’t do him justice. His tongue wasn’t created by God, it was the God. He switched between entering you and sucking on the little bundle of nerves, grunting into you. The vibrations of his grunts helped the whole process, and you were soon panting and writhing on the bed.   
But before you could reach your peek, Thor pulled away and looked up at you.   
He stood up, which only made you pout, and Thor laughed heartily.

“Patience, princess. I will make you feel things nobody ever had,” he smirked as he rid himself of his clothes before he stepped in front of you and motioned for you to sit up as well. Once you did that, he had you in all fours in a blink of an eye, and he made a quick work of your corset before your dress was shredded and sent flying across his chambers.   
“You are the most beautiful and precious thing, Omega. I can’t wait to make you mine,” he growled and while you wanted to react, you couldn’t as his thick fingers pushed inside your tight channel, making you clamp onto them, the unfamiliar feeling of fullness breaking through your every sense.

“Shh, calm down, Omega. I need to prep you properly before I take you. I wouldn’t want to hurt you” Thor hummed soothingly against your bed, and when the hot air from his mouth hit the back of your neck, you shuddered and inevitably relaxed your pussy.   
That made Thor smile because he loved the effect he seemed to have on you, and he pushed his fingers deeper inside you, curling them and scissoring them to that you were ready to take him in no time.

You were so wet your pussy made a squelching sound, and you were almost embarrassed, ready to apologise to Thor before you heard him speak again.   
“Gosh, you’re so wet for me, my dove. I have never seen anything sexier than you, naked on my body, your sweet cunt ready to take me,” he grunted as he pulled the fingers from deep inside you, and your hips instinctively searched for him, so you pushed your ass flat against his cock.

“Need you, Alpha, please,” was the only thing you could muster, but it was obviously more than enough because you felt the blunt head of his cock push inside you.   
You screamed as the unfamiliar object tried to enter you, but it was more your brain speaking than anything else. Because the second you took a calming breath, you realised that your body was more than ready to take whatever Thor wanted to give you.

And so you let go of all the insecurities, let go of all the horrible things that have happened to you in the past, and let Thor rule over your body, the way he should and was made for.   
Thor noticed the change in your posture because what were tense shoulders mere moments ago was now almost a puddle of muscles as you melted to the mattress, and he suddenly felt your pussy opening up for him so that he could sheet himself in you entirely.

He groaned when his hips met the swell of your ass, and you panted heavily, not being used to the fullness. Thor was a huge man, and it showed. You were sure that no matter how many times you’d take him, you’d still feel as if he was splitting in you in half with his shaft.

But it wasn’t altogether unpleasant feeling. Sure, it was a tight fit, but once you were able to relax once again, you could feel that the pain subdued and it was now more a pressure that only added to the pleasure gathering in your lower stomach.   
Thor rolled his hips, and you moaned his name loudly, making him growl in approval.

He loved the sound of his Omega crying out for him, making everybody in the castle sure of whom you belonged to.   
His resolve vanished the very moment your hips bucked against his, trying to make him move and to make you feel the immaculate pleasure you were promised.   
The only real sounds that could be heard in the room were Thor’s growl, your screeches and the sound of skin slapping skin. You were both lost in your pleasure, trying to bond on the most primal level and succeeding.

You didn’t know if you could ever leave the bed, after this experience, because you never wanted to be without Thor’s cock wedged deep inside you.   
It was when he reached around your body and touched your clit, that you felt the fire in your stomach spread, and before you knew what was happening, your breath hitched in your throat, as a wave of pleasure washed over you.

You saw sparks in front of your eyes and cried out from the immense bliss that overtook your body.   
It was prolonged when you felt Thor’s teeth breaking your skin, marking you as his forever.   
You weren’t sure if you had two orgasms or just one extremely long one, but you didn’t care. Because you were happy, really happy for the first time in a long time.   
Thor felt the bond set in his veins, and that with your pussy squeezing and pulsing around him was his own undoing.

He growled and felt the knot inflate in your channel before he was shooting his seed deep inside you, your greedy pussy milking him from every single drop and securing it deep inside itself, where his heir would grow one day.   
Thor panted as he fell on top of you, stopping only when he realised he could crush you with the weight of his body on yours, and he crafty turned the both of you, so you were on your sides.

He licked along his mark on your lips, and your pussy squeezed around him involuntarily.   
“Stop it, Omega, or I’m going to have to take you again,” he mumbled against your skin, and you laughed ever so slightly.   
“Then don’t make me feel so good, Alpha,” you teased, and Thor’s lips found yours in a sweet and reassuring kiss. You both wanted to convey all the emotions about what just happened in it. And from the dreamy looks you both sported, it was a success.

“You are forever mine, Omega,” Thor whispered as he pulled away from the kiss and you gave him a smile that would melt even the greatest resolve.

“And you mine, all I got to do is to mark you next, so that no crazy Omega or Beta thinks they have a chance with you,” you smiled, and Thor pinched your side.

“I don’t care about anybody else, but I will love your mark, princess. Now go to sleep, we have a lot to talk about tomorrow,” he muttered and nuzzled your neck once again, letting the bond calm you both enough to go to sleep.


	11. Down to Business

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Next few weeks are filled with war-planning, and, surprisingly, people ask your opinion and actually listen, and it finally feels like your new life is beginning.

The next few days were spent in a haze, both you and Thor tucked under the furs in his chambers, limbs tangled together and inseparable from each other. Never have you felt anything like this, and it would have been weird if you did.   
Whenever you felt like that was the time to finally leave the bed, Thor’s sweaty chest would be on your back, and he would whisper sweet nothings to your ear, convincing you to stay a little while longer. And a little while would always turn in many hours.   
Not that you complained, not at all, actually. Being close to Thor made you feel giddy and satisfied at the same time, your heart full.   
The bond between you was thriving as well. You’d marked Thor soon after he did, and ever since then, every time he touched your skin, little sparks erupted between the two of you, sending some in your nether regions as well. 

Thor was as enamoured as you were, and so when an unaware Beta servant came into your chambers with a question from Odin, Thor growled so loudly you were afraid the pillars in the middle of the room would shatter.   
He calmed down the second you buried your head in his neck, letting him feel you close to him, the bond feeding off of the closeness between you two.   
Ever since then, the servants left everything in front of the door, not too keen on experiencing freshly mated Alpha’s wrath, especially when that Alpha was Thor himself.   
When it was time to really leave the bed, because the war-planning meeting was called, Thor would take his time in getting dressed, trying to prolong the moment spent behind the safety of one door, before you both had to face reality.

  
Not that either of you forgot about what the reality was. You knew all too well what Zeinard wanted, and that he wouldn’t stop at that little threat by Thor. If anything, it must have enraged him and made him prepare for the whole battle that much better.   
You knew his goal: killing you and everybody who tried to oppose him and his right to the throne.   
Which was close to none, you had to remind yourself. He got the throne by killing the rightful king, your father, and if you weren’t so smart as to run away when you mother told you, there wouldn’t be a single soul knowing about Zeinard’s secret and opposing him. 

You were sure his soldiers were devotedly on his side, and there was no way of making them see they were on the wrong side of history.   
However, there could still be some people that were loyal to your father, somewhere in the kingdom, maybe hidden from the eyes of the ruling king. Your mind immediately drifted towards Sam, the devoted knight whose help you sought many times when you were in trouble in your younger years.   
He would be now an older man, but you knew his heart was in the right place. So if he wasn’t killed during the coup, there was still a chance that you could find him and make him join the army against Zeinard. Because you knew he’d be more than happy to avenge your father and what had happened to the country after Zeinard took over the ruling.   
Making your way down the glorious hall of Asgard’s palace, you finally reached the Great Hall, the one place most people knew or heard about for its beautiful paintings and expensive sculptures littered around the room. 

Thor took your hand in his, keeping you close both for your own protection, and just for the sake of it because he really wasn’t anywhere near letting you go out of his sight. If the new bond wasn’t enough reason, then the price for your head definitely was.   
Odin greeted you with a nod, and you rolled your eyes inwardly.   
You’ve heard stories about him, legends about his bravery and his deeds, and you knew he was a respectable person who earned his right for the fame. However, he sometimes acted too much like it. 

You wondered if it would actually kill him to smile, or to act like a regular human being. He was above everybody else, and he made you everybody knew. The simple fact that he saw himself as a God, almost, made you clench your fists because you knew one other who saw himself the same exact way.

  
_Zeinard._

You tried to get rid of such thoughts because not only was Odin helping you in getting rid of that bastard he was also Thor’s father. While you knew they crossed swords quite often, you were also aware that the bond between a father and a son was still strong. And you wouldn’t be smart if you played with it just based on your personal feelings about Odin’s personality traits.   
So you let it go and sat down between Thor and Tony because that’s where you felt the safest.   
Loki and Sif were friendly, no doubt about it, but you hadn’t known them for long, and you definitely didn’t want to sit next to Odin for apparent reasons.   
He had given you one more reason when he said that the queen would not join you, because she had no business there, and if it weren’t for Sif’s tactical knowledge and your insider information, you were sure he wouldn’t let you be there as well. 

But you didn’t let that sour your mood, because the realisation hit you very soon after Odin opened his mouth: you were getting justice for what had happened so many years ago.   
“So, as we spoke some days ago, an injustice has been done on the rightful ruler of Bennegard, king Noris and his family. Now, I have sent some messenger to Dysgard, informing the king that actions will be taken against their neighbour, and I have received a letter from him this morning, telling us that he would join us. 

Apparently, he has had some quarrels with Zeinard, and when he heard of what had happened, he agreed to lend us his army as well as his own knowledge of the battlefield. He also said that your friend, Thor, and his now son-in-law would be joining him as well, for he is a fierce warrior,” Odin added and importantly looked at Thor, who just hummed in appreciation.   
“Very well. Now we just have to find out all the ways around the land, if you, Y/N, remember anything that could help us, please, share it with the room,” Loki said with an inviting smile, and you reciprocated it before you looked around the room. 

“As I haven’t been there in many years, some things might have changed, but he could not change the general look of the land. So, in the south, there are huge rocky planes, very hostile and almost inhabitable. In the north, there are craggy mountains, almost with very few people living there, so I would suggest going either through north or south.   
The west and east are the better parts of the country, with the fruitful lakes and some green patches for the countrymen to cultivate.   
In the north, there are the mines with jewels, as you might now, and because I have heard how much he profits on them, I would suggest a part of them to be silently covered, so that it would make him lose the money,” you continued and felt a slight pressure on your hand from Thor’s grip.   
You looked up at him questionably, fearing you would find anger in his features for talking for so long, but you only found love and admiration. He smiled down at you, and you had to stop yourself from nuzzling his neck. 

Damn the bond, you cursed in your head because it was getting harder to not touch your mate. You might have been a princess, and on a war-path, but that didn’t mean you didn’t want to be close to your Alpha every second of the day. You just hoped the feeling would dissipate before the actual battle because you couldn’t really imagine the two of you riding on one horse, your face buried deep in Thor’s neck while he slashed the enemy’s army.   
“I don’t want the citizens to be involved, we should protect them from this battle as much as possible. Also, I think there are people still loyal to me and my father, and if we could find them-“

Thor’s growl interrupted your train of thoughts, and when you looked at him, his eyes were flashing red, telling you he was mere seconds away from tearing into somebody just from the thought of you going back to Bennegard, especially without him.   
You took his hand in yours, and gave him a little palm massage, trying to calm down his bubbling nerves. Deep down, you both knew it was a good plan. Risky? Sure, but good nevertheless. And you needed all the help you could get.   
The goal wasn’t just to kill Zeinard, not at all. You wanted to destroy everybody that ever helped him, while still leaving the country intact. The ordinary people didn’t deserve to be slaughtered as a side-effect to your war of heritage. 

When you looked at Thor moments, later, you saw the realisation dawn on him. You needed to go to Bennegard.   
“You’re not going alone, and that’s my final word. A group of people and I are going with you, and I swear to everything that is holy, if anybody denies me this trip, I will burn this place down,” Thor seethed, and Odin just raised a brow at his proclamations.   
“Calm down, son. This will be your kingdom one day, and you will do best if you preserve it. I have no intentions of stopping you, do what you must and be with your Omega. All I ask is that you come back alive,” he added and looked at you pointedly. 

What the hell was that supposed to mean? First, you didn’t ask Thor to come with you, not out loud anyway, and secondly, of course, you wanted him alive as well, you didn’t need Odin bringing up the dangers of the trip.   
So, you just nodded at him, already annoyed with the old king, but you respected him and Thor too much to say anything harsh. Especially in front of all those people.   
You might have been Thor’s Omega and the future queen of Asgard, but nobody disrespected the king without certain repercussions, so you swallowed your pride and sat the rest of the meeting quietly.   
—-

Getting over the borders was, actually, much easier than you would have thought. No guards were protecting them or looking for you. One would think that when Thor and Tony with your little help executed Zeinard’s army in the forest, he would be extra careful.   
But from the looks of it, he couldn’t care less.   
There were banners everywhere, reminding his subjects that it has been an anniversary of the kingdom with him being the king, with people cultivating their little gardens, and obviously preparing for the celebrations.   
The guards were swarming the city, but not for the reason you initially thought. No, they were just making sure that everything looked perfect for the festivities that would start in just a few days. 

It has been a few days since the meeting in the Great Hall with everybody. You managed to send a messenger before you set foot on the road, letting him spread the news that somebody looked for Sam. You didn’t want to be too specific, in case somebody else found out about your plans. However, looking around the kingdom now, you were sure that Zeinard wouldn’t find out anyway.   
This all made you feel great about the upcoming events because it just proved how reckless of a king Zeinard was. And a small part of your heart and brain was telling you, that you would be a much better queen to your people, actually caring about more than just the looks of things.   
But all that had to wait. And besides, you weren’t even sure how anything worked, especially with your being mated to the prince and heir of the neighbouring kingdom. The kingdoms would merge, that much was sure, but what else? 

There was no time to think of such things now, however. So you shook your head and the thoughts out of it and concentrated on the task at hand.   
You received a word that somebody who knew Sam would meet you in a shady pub on the outskirts of the capital town.   
And as much Thor hated the idea that you were being led to a trap, you couldn’t help but feel good about the whole plan. Even if it was a trap, what worse could happen than you killing a few guards? Thor was known for his strength and for being favourite of the Gods, so you weren’t too afraid of facing anybody with a sword. Not anymore, anyway.   
When you reached the place, Thor halted his horse to a stop and looked around the final time. He grunted under his breath and dismounted the horse before reaching for your hand and pulling you down to your feet. 

He looked you deep in the eyes and kissed you sensually, and you forgot where you were and what your mission was for a second. Thor had power over your mind and body you never thought possible, but whenever he was close, it felt as if the inner Omega took over and you were ready to present for him in the middle of nowhere or in front the whole kingdom, just so that your Alpha would be happy and proud of you.   
It was a cough that brought you back to your senses, and Thor turned around abruptly to see who had the audacity to disturb you two in such an intimate moment. 

“Sorry, my prince, but we really have to get moving, if we don’t wish to be slain right here, right now,” Heimdall, Thor’s friend and one of his best warriors stated with respect but also with enough power that you stepped away from Thor and hung your head in shame.   
“You’re right, my friend, I just needed a moment with my queen,” Thor said proudly, and you gave him a side-eye, smirking ever so slightly at his little comment at the end.   
And so you entered without much ado and was welcomed by an almost pitch-black interior, only lit up by a few candles set on the tables, and one window at the very end of the establishment. The place reeked of sweat, piss, and alcohol, and your stomach actually turned as you took a breath in.   
You closed your eyes and told yourself that this was not the time nor the place to be a fainting or vomiting princess, and swallowed with some difficulty to will your stomach to calm down. 

Thor gripped your hand and walked you towards the most distant table, seating you in his lap, probably to both protect you and calm himself a little because he looked like he was ready to jump at anybody who would even look at you.  
And while some people turned their heads, smelling the young and fertile Omega walking past them, it took them only one good sniff to find out that you were not only taken but with your Alpha by your side, and the sheer size of Thor was threatening enough for them to mind their own business.   
When you were finally all seated and served by the owner of the place, there was somebody approaching your table with assured steps, and it made Thor clench his fists on the side of your body. 

But as the person came closer, and as your eyes finally got used to the darkness of the place, you realised that it was the face of somebody you knew so many years ago.   
Before Thor knew what was happening, you leapt out of his arms and stood in front of the stranger.   
“Sam!” You whisper-yelled, and the man stopped, his hand still gripping the sheath of his sword, just in case you were a threat to his life. 

“Who’s asking?” The man grumbled, and you smiled. Still the same voice, the same old scowl. Not that he looked inviting, but it brought a warmth to your heart, knowing that not everybody from your previous life was lost or dead.   
“It’s me, Y/N! Don’t you remember me?” You asked and crossed your hands over your chest. Thor was already standing behind you, ready to attack the unknown man. He still wasn’t too sure if it wasn’t some kind of a scam, so he was alert and ready to attack. 

Sam’s whole body went rigid, as he took you in for the first time, and the moment of silence suddenly felt like an eternity. But you couldn’t say anything else, because Sam was suddenly kneeling in front of you, his head hung low, his body shaking with the intensity of his sobs.   
You knelt beside him, despite Thor’s not so subtle protests and hugged his shoulders. Sam reciprocated the move and hugged you back, and there you were, two old friends in a tight embrace, sobbing at the prospect of new life as well as the sadness over the past. 

“I thought I’d never see you, princess! I looked for you everywhere, I really did. But when it was three years, and nobody even heard of you, I thought Zeinard might have killed you. This is the happiest day of my entire life!” He exclaimed, and you laughed freely.   
“I wasn’t sure who to trust, Sam, and I couldn’t stay here in Bennegard. Zeinard would have cut my head off. Tell me, do you still wish to have revenge on him and his men for killing my father and my mother, and taking what wasn’t rightfully his?” You asked darkly, and Sam’s features changed. 

He stood up and helped you to your feet as well before he spoke up again.   
“I will lay my life for you and Bennegard, the true Bennegard I swore to protect all those years ago. There are others like me, from the old army that was able to escape and who would like to see Zeinard’s blood flow in the river,” Sam thought out loud, and you smiled victoriously at Thor. 

“Well, then, I think you should get in touch with them, because we will take Bennegard from Zeinard again, and this time, it will be his screams that will echo through the castle!” You exclaimed, and Thor looked down at you, proudly. Yes, this was his mate and his future wife, but, most importantly, this was the future queen of both Asgard and Bennegard, and Thor couldn’t wait for the battle


	12. Fight or Flight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The big moment comes, and you fight for what is rightfully yours, with all the help in the world, and your beloved Alpha by your side.

You woke up with a start. Your whole body buzzed even before your brain actually had the chance to wake up, signalling that something had changed. You couldn’t remember what it was, the slumber still too heavy on your brain to realise what day it was.   
But when you finally opened your eyes and saw the early morning light shining through the curtains, your mind finally settled, and it was obvious that today was the day when your nightmare would end and your new life would begin.   
Today you were about to take down Zeinard, and regain your position as the head of Bennegard, something that had always been your birth-right, but denied to you for so long.   
As you shifted in the bed, your body collided with something hard. You gasped because you were still too tired to think, but when the hard mass of muscles groaned and pulled you to his embrace, you relaxed visibly and realised that it was your Alpha lying next to you.   
“What is it, my dove?” Thor mumbled against your hair, sleep still evident in his voice, and you had to smile at how snuggly and sweet he was like this, early in the morning, still unaware of the happenings around him.   
“Just nervous, that’s all, my love,” you smiled at him, and you could see his sleepy brain beginning to wake up as well.   
“You know you don’t have to go. In fact, I’d prefer you to stay here and wait for us here, where you’ll be safe,” Thor reasoned, but he wasn’t pushing anymore because he knew all too well that there wasn’t any discussion to have with you. Your mind was set for the day, and there wasn’t anything in this world that could happen for you to not participate in the battle.   
You were too fierce and too pissed at Zeinard to not go and fight him face to face. You craved his blood, and while you understood why Thor was so worried, you were an Omega, after all, you knew you had enough in you to be able to handle yourself in the battle.   
“Thor,” you started, but his mouth stopped you in your effort to explain yourself to him once again.   
“I know, I know, it’s just wishful thinking on my part, my dove. But don’t worry, we’ll fight him, and we’ll make sure that he’ll get what he deserves,” Thor snarled just imagining that bastard who called himself the king. He wouldn’t be king for long, Thor would make sure of that. Zeinard would pay for what he had done to you and your family.  
—-

The whole day was spent by preparing everything necessary, or at least those things that weren’t already prepared. The action had been long in the making, and everybody knew their roles within this battle.   
From what Sam and the others told you, Zeinard’s army had around 20.000 soldiers. Which was way less than what all the troops Midgard, Asgard, and Dysgard. Apparently, Zeinard had no idea about his necessary fall because a spy of the court came bearing the message that he was planning a feast that night, celebrating some unimportant and made-up anniversary.   
Which only made you happier, since he’d be utterly shocked upon seeing the army of more than 60.000 men entering “his” precious kingdom.   
Your only hope was for the ordinary people to stay safe and not to be rushed forward when Zeinard saw what was coming for him. But you’d deal with that if push came to shove. Until then, your primary focus was on the crown and the man who was wearing.   
As the whole party bid their horses go, trotting towards Bennegard, you went over the plan once again. You’d let Zeinard see you all coming, which would pressure him to make rash decisions that were always bad, no matter who made them. After that, you hoped he would just surrender so that you could spare the lives of his loyal soldiers.   
As much as you hated him and all of the people surrounding him, you weren’t a person thriving on somebody else’s misery. So, if you could avoid killing too many people, you would. Still, you knew that all the soldiers and even some of the leaders wanted full justice, and they loved a good battle.   
As you were nearing the borders, you could see the patrols alerting more and more soldiers and messengers, and you could see multiple people on horses racing towards the castle, probably letting Zeinard know of what was coming. And you smirked, hard.   
It only took another two hours to reach the place you suggested for the battle, and by the time you all got there, you were met with the first line of defenders. They all looked… poorly clothed and barely prepared for the battle. Some of them had a hard time standing up already, and as you came closer, you could see that they were obviously drunk. Even better, you thought and looked over at Thor, who was smirking like insane, probably thinking the same thing.   
“Are you ready, my dove?” Thor asked over the rumbling of the armour and the neighing of all the horses.   
You gave him your most charming smile, and the two of you stepped forward, with your most skilled soldiers by your sides.   
You could see a person with much better armour (which still couldn’t compare to the one you and your army were wearing), and after a long moment, you recognised Zeinard trotting forward on his own horse.

“What is all this?” His voice boomed through the loud noises, and when he spotted you, he almost bid his horse run towards you were it not for Thor’s own movement going in front of you, protectively.   
“We’re here because you committed the highest treason to the crown possible. You killed the old king and his wife, trying to kill their heir and you took over a kingdom that is not yours to take. Either give up willingly and your life will be speared, or die in battle,” Thor hollered, and while some of the soldiers snarled at him, obviously aware of the whole situation, most people on the opposing side glanced around, as if they heard the truth for the first time.   
“That’s not true! King Norris died naturally, just like his wife and his daughter, and he appointed me the king,” Zeinard yelled hysterically, but the deed had been done. His own army was looking around as if understanding the weight of the accusations for the first time.   
The murmur was rising within his ranks, and it was only when Sam stepped forward, that the front rows shut up again.   
Their eyes went wide, seeing the late king’s right hand and chief protector stepping forward, looking as regal and alive as ever.   
“Listen up! Zeinard told you that a lot of us died from a mysterious disease all those years ago, but that is not true. He and his most loyal men attacked king Norris and his men, killing him mercilessly and slaughtering his wife, our queen, as well. They tried to kill princess Y/N as well, and while we thought he succeeded, that is not the case. Princess Y/N is alive and well, and she should be our queen, just like fate wanted,” Sam finished his speech, and the murmur rose again.   
“And where is she?” Some brave soul yelled, and you knew it was your time.   
“She is right here!” You smirked as your horse trotted forward, and the realisation dawned on the men. You were undeniably king Norris’ daughter, there was no mistake about it.   
“She is a liar, that is not the princess. I saw her die myself,” Zeinard screamed, and you chuckled, sensing his despair.   
“Maybe in your dream, my dear Zeinard. But I am alive, and I am indeed the daughter of your late king. My parents were murdered by the very man calling himself your king. He has no right to lead a country that is not his—a country that he got by sheer force and violence, and not in a rightful battle. Help me get my throne back, and I promise you none of you will be harmed. I only want for this kingdom to flourish and thrive, and that alongside Asgard,” you finished and could see the change in the posture of most people in front of you.   
It didn’t take long, and you could hear the clinging of swords against armour and shields, and you smiled widely.   
They were yielding their weapons, and taking down their silver armours, cheering your name and spitting towards Zeinard, who was trying to regain their trust, but it was already too late.

He lost the only thing that could have helped him, although when he measured your army against his, he realised there never was a chance for him.   
Still, the rage and spite in his eyes were all too visible, and while you knew he was a coward and a schemer, you knew he wouldn’t give up power as easily.   
So, it came as no surprise when you saw him march towards you with a battle shout, a few hundreds of his most loyal soldiers with him.   
You could hear a shout from your left, and when you glanced in that direction, it was Sam and his men running towards his old king. Thor didn’t give permission to anybody else to fight because he understood all too well that it was Sam’s fight for his pride. The men who suffered under the hand of Zeinard needed the chance to avenge not only their own lives but also the lives of their late rulers.   
But Zeinard saw only one person, and that was you. The smirk on your mouth grew as he drew nearer, but his bloodthirsty face was stopped before he could reach you. It was Thor who pushed him from his horse, resulting in Zeinard painful screams as he fell down, most probably breaking something.   
With his shout, the rest of his army quietened. They all waited to see what was going to happen, and not many people were surprised as they saw you dismount your own horse and walk towards the fallen king.

“You have made my life miserable for your own hunger for power. You were so afraid of me that you didn’t give me a day in my life to breathe freely. I always had to look over my shoulder, always had to be afraid that you might be lurking somewhere in the shadows and thus robbing me of my teenagehood and a huge chunk of my adulthood as well.   
And that is your punishment, dear Zeinard. You’ll have a day to escape but after that? I will create a team of men that will be looking for you forever. And there won’t be a place you’ll be able to live without the fear of one of my men dragging you back to my court and killing you as mercilessly as you did with my father and my poor mother.   
The day will come that you and I meet again, and I won’t be nice again. Your life will be miserable but will end even worse. Now, run, before I change my mind,” you sneered as you slapped him with the handle of your sword, drawing a bit of blood from him.   
He looked at you with wide eyes and started pleading for mercy, for you to lock him up for the rest of his days, but you wanted to hear none of that. Your mind was set, and so you nodded at your men who threw him in the direction you wanted him to run, and after a few more pleading minutes, he did set on foot, with about 20 men on his tail.   
Thor watched the whole scene with an open mouth just like the rest of the people who could hear what was being said between you and Zeinard. He stepped closer to you and laid his hand on your shoulder, drawing your attention back to him.

“Are you sure about this, my dove? I could still run up there and just end it once and for all,” Thor mused, and you chuckled at the murderous glare his eyes bore. You gently kissed his lips to stop him from snarling and smile at him.   
“I’m sure my love. I want him to experience what I did, and when I catch him, and I’ll catch him, then we can kill him just like he deserves. Until then, let him live with the fear I instilled in his heart,” you said and turned to the army that was once Zeinard’s but was now yours.   
“My people, if you feel like you cannot have me as your queen, I suggest you take your things and move to some other kingdom for I am not leaving. We will get back Bennegard’s long lost glory, and we will do it together, with the help of Asgard because I am to be married to the Asgardian prince, Thor,” you smiled as everybody bowed their head in front of you, and Thor kissed your temple, proud to call you his mate.

“Let the world know that Bennegard has got a new queen who is not afraid to fight for her people and for justice. I might be an Omega but don’t be mistaken. I will fight anyone who will stand in my way of creating a safe space for my family and my people. Go home, and enjoy another day without a battle. Tomorrow, we’ll have a coronation and peace will come back again to these lands,” you hollered, and the army cheered gleefully.   
Thor could no longer help himself, and so he took you in his arms and spun you around in full force, earning a happy giggle from your mouth. This was the beginning of your new life, and you couldn’t wait to start it with Thor by your side.


	13. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The coronation day comes and both kingdoms are joined in a joyful festivities. Especially when Odin gives Thor his blessing and his throne.

You looked at yourself in the mirror and gasped at what you saw. For the first time in forever, you saw the regal woman you used to see when you were just a girl. The heavy dress the seamstresses made for you were beautiful and fit for a queen. It was emerald with golden stitching in the seams, which glowed from afar and gave the dress an air of luxury around them.   
And you felt good. More than good, actually. There was this feeling of serendipity in your heart that wasn’t there before. Everything worked out the way it should, it felt like. You only wished your parents lived long enough to see you now. You were exactly the kind of person they would have been proud of, that much you were sure about.   
As you walked from your chambers with your maids around you, making sure everything stayed in its place, you sighed a happy sigh, being in the place you grew up in, surrounded by love and joy.

All the remnants of Zeinard had been thrown away and burned, only the bare minimum left for you to decorate the castle the way you wanted to. Not that you had much time to do that in the few days since the battle, but it was a good start. You even asked the woman from the market in Midgard to come and use her herbs and flowers to get rid of the evil spirit you felt like was residing in the castle, left after Zeinard.   
And since she had cleansed everything, no more evil could penetrate the kingdom nor your own spirit. You wouldn’t let anybody deal with you the way the old king had. You now knew your worth, and you weren’t about to bow down to anybody who didn’t deserve it.   
When you reached the corner, your thoughts were interrupted by a low purr leaving somebody’s mouth, and before you knew what was happening, a pair of strong arms circled around your waist and pulled you to their body.   
But soon, your body realised that there was nothing to be worried about, for the scent of the person invaded your senses, and you smelled the only man you’d ever let touch you this way. Your Alpha. His body was hot against your skin, and you smiled at that. Thor was always running a little too hot, just enough to warm you up as well.   
Which was very convenient, and you knew that universe had a plan even with this, since you were always running cold.   
“Well, my queen, today is the day,” Thor muttered, and you smiled brightly at him.   
“Yes, my king. Today is the day. Can you believe it? Can you believe that we are here, together, and we’ll soon rule over a kingdom of our own?” You laughed at the thought, and Thor joined you before his lips connected with yours in a brief but sweet kiss.   
“Not only one at that. My father came to me this morning, and we had a long talk when he announced that he would be retiring soon and that I, as a rightful heir, will take his place with you by my side. So not only do we have one kingdom to rule, we will soon have two. We could even join them and create an empire for our own offsprings, my dove,” Thor mused, and you smiled at his thinking.

You weren’t too sure if an empire was what you wanted, but that didn’t matter. Even if you weren’t too confident about your own skills as a queen, you knew you had people around you who’d help you every step of the way. But also, these were your duties as the daughter of a king and a wife of one as well.   
This was what you had been born for, and you couldn’t start your new life, with a crown on your head and the man you loved by your side.   
Thor seemed to have read your thoughts because he stepped even closer and kissed the top of your head, drawing circles on your exposed arms.   
“You will be an extraordinary queen, my love. You know how it feels to be just one of the people, and that is an advantage nobody can take away from you. You will be sympathetic to all their struggles and will know how to deal with them better than anybody before or after you. I can guarantee you your people love you already! And wait till they see what you can do for them! Phew, I will be the proudest man on Earth!” Thor exclaimed, and you playfully hit him on the chest.   
“You are making fun of me, my dear,” you scolded him mockingly, but he only shook his head and crossed his heart.   
“Not in the slightest! I truly believe everything I just said, and I will be there to help you along the way. You know if anybody tries something funny, I will protect you,” he smirked, and you scoffed.

“Yes, you are my big strong Alpha, Thor. Let us go, or we’ll be late for our own coronation,” you locked your hand with his, and the two of you strode towards the Great Hall where the ceremony was held.   
And you both went with your heads held high, ready for whatever fate wanted to throw your way. You would accept everything with open arms and an open heart, just like a good king and queen should.


End file.
